They Never Listen
by Eleantris
Summary: Who was he to let her waste her life in a universe so glorious yet so hauntingly dark? With one sentence The Doctor tore Rose Tyler's world apart. He made her leave. He told her not to look for him, but she did. Because his companions never listen.
1. Prologue: Forever Is Short

**Hi! I know, I'm shocked too, I'm writing something for Doctor Who, something I haven't done in a long while! Well, I've been writing the story me and BananaBabe903 are doing together (please check it out – it's on her profile), called 'Here Come The Girls' but apart from that, I've done no Dr Who stories of my own in a while, but then inspiration hit! **

**Updates might be slow as I now have four stories in progress, but I hope you'll enjoy it all the same!**

**P.S – This is set some time after Fear Her, but ignores The Army of Ghosts and Doomsday – of course. **

**Disclaimer – Dr Who, of course belongs to the wonderful BBC, without whom we'd all be very bored. =D**

**Prologue – Forever Is Short**

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Tears welled up behind Rose's warm brown eyes as she stared, heart-broken at The Doctor. The man she knew. The man she trusted. The man she loved. She could physically feel her heart slowly cracking down the middle, breaking into two halves, both belonging to him. He couldn't do this. Not now. He couldn't.

'You can't do this, Doctor.' She whispered as he gazed back with shining eyes.

'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. But I have to, Rose.'

Rose shook her head, her mind reaching for anything that would hold her life together, something to stop her world from falling apart, she could feel it cracking at the seams, it was going to break into tiny pieces.

'No you don't, Doctor. You don't have to do anything.'

He took a gentle step towards her, feeling both his hearts beginning to tear. He hadn't wanted to say those words, those words he had uttered just minutes before. But what else was he to do? He loved her, he couldn't destroy her life.

'Rose, please, trust me. You have to do what I said.' He told her, imploring her with saddened eyes. This was breaking him, his soul, his mind and his hearts. But he would do it. Do it, to protect his Rose. His Rose Tyler.

Rose bit down hard on her lip to stop it trembling, this wasn't happening. Her worst nightmare was coming true. 'Doctor, I made my choice. I'm staying with you. Forever. I promised you, remember?'

This time he shook his head sadly and reached out his hand, taking hers in his, one last time. He relished the memories that flooded back, though each one cut him a little deeper. Running, endlessly running, away from something, towards something. Running for the sake of running.

Never again.

'And I'm making my choice. I won't let you waste your forever, I can mess mine up, you haven't got time for that, Rose. Your forever is short. Go home, Rose, and have a wonderful, gloriously human life. Please.'

She stubbornly shook her head again, the movement shaking free the tears of despair from her sorrowed eyes, The Doctor watched as they tragically wound their way down her cheeks.

'No. I don't want that. I can't, I have to stay here. With you.' She insisted, her voice close to breaking as she put up her fight. She wouldn't let go, she would not go home. She wouldn't do as he had asked.

She would not leave him. She wouldn't not leave her Doctor, her lonely Doctor.

'Rose, the universe is beautiful and you've seen and done more than anyone could imagine. Your memories are so much brighter...but it's terrible, and it's scary, and it's dangerous. And you're going to die. You'll die, Rose. Way before your time, and I won't let you.'

He took a deep breath, preparing to repeat the words that had made her cry just minutes ago, to repeat the words that tore at his soul and ravaged his hearts.

'Rose, I want you to leave me.'

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**So, that was just a Prologue, hopefully the first chapter will be up soon. Please review! X =D**


	2. Whispers in the Dark

**First chapter – quite short but I wanted it to be, just to concentrate on Rose. Next chapter will be longer. =D**

**Chapter 1 – Whispers in the Dark**

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The TARDIS landed in London without much of a bump, a few streets away from the Powell Estate. Mere yards from Rose's old life. The thought made her want to cry out in hopelessness, how could you go from travelling the universe back to Earth, chips and a dead-end job?

Rose was a part of this TARDIS, a part of the universe, a part of _him_. So as the door creaked slowly open, the sound echoed in her broken heart and signalled an ending for her. She couldn't believe he was doing this.

They both stepped out of the TARDIS in silence, the harsh September wind blowing their hair and stinging their faces. The dark grey, stormy clouds overhead matched all too disturbingly to Rose's distraught, helpless state. She'd promised him forever, but he didn't seem to want it.

He was making her leave him. And she, ordinary human that she was, with no powers or abilities, was letting him. He had made up his mind and she couldn't stop him, no matter how much she wanted to, no matter how much she tried. This wasn't a fight she could win, because it was against him and Rose knew full well, no-one won against The Doctor.

'What am I going to do without you, Doctor? Please don't do this.' She begged in a terrified whisper, though she knew it wouldn't sway him. Neither would the icy tears on her face.

'Rose, it's for the best. You've got to live a long, happy life without me. That's how it's meant to be. I won't let you die because of me.' He couldn't pretend that he wanted her to go, because he didn't. But he wouldn't let her die for him, not after so many had given their precious lives just to keep his hearts beating. Not her.

'We had the best of times. The very best.' He told her sincerely, though his expression was pained as he watched her face twist into an agonized expression of fear and more tears slipped from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

'You...you promised me I wasn't like them. You promised, Doctor. You said you wouldn't just leave me like you left them.' She choked out, wiping away her tears just as new ones fell.

Her words were true, he had promised that. The reminder of that promise cut him hard, tearing his skin and touching his blood with its icy memory. How many promises must he break to keep her safe?

'I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry.' He whispered, reaching up tenderly to push a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. Slowly, he bent forward and softly pressed his lips to her forehead, breathing in deeply and pushing back the stab of hurt twisting through his soul.

'Don't look for me, or try to find me.'

'What am I supposed to do, go back to the shop? Back to Mickey?' She sobbed, an undertone of distress to her voice. Her world was caving in and she had no way out, she had to stay here. Stuck on the slow path without her Doctor.

'You are smart, clever and...You are _brilliant_ Rose Tyler. You will have a fantastic life and you'll die when you're supposed to. You can't have that if you stay with me.'

'Please don't leave me.' She pleaded in a small voice, though speech was harder to form now. Her senses had gone numb, her brain was dull...all she could feel was the fire of burning loss and sadness coursing through her veins, a lifetime without him. Unbearable.

'Goodbye, Rose Tyler. You are brilliant, truly brilliant.'

She didn't pay attention as the TARDIS disappeared; she didn't hear when someone came up and asked her what was wrong, she didn't even notice as it grew dark and that she was alone. She didn't care. The only thing she was aware of, was that he had left her.

Left her. She was alone now. He had flown her home to London and just left her here, told her not to find him, to move on with her life. How was that possible? It wasn't. And she would not do it. She needed him.

Rose began wandering down the darkened streets aimlessly, the menacing glow of the orange streetlights reflecting off her tears and empty eyes. It didn't matter that he thought she was brilliant, or that she could have a great life without him because he had made her leave him. She was all alone on Earth, robbed of beauty and wonder.

Some people say that things on earth are beautiful, but they were nothing compared to the things she had seen, oh no, out there, it was so much better, so much bigger. Because he was out there.

Eventually she couldn't walk much further; her pain slowed her and ebbed away the want to move. She was stood by an old park, the swings swaying slightly in the breeze as thought spirits could be pushing them. But Rose knew, there was no such thing as ghosts. They were genetically engineered from gases and particles; they were aliens that came through the rift in Cardiff.

She wiped her damp eyes and sat down on the cold concrete floor, pulling the hood up over her messy hair and tearstained face. Slowly, she fell to one side, her eyes drifting to a close as the cold sent small shivers through her veins. She drifted off into a light, uneasy sleep, the ghost of a whisper echoing from her chapped lips in the dark.

'I'll find you, Doctor.'

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**Review? X =D**


	3. Extinguished Flame

**Chapter 2 – Extinguished Flame**

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Far away, on the other side of the vast universe The Doctor was sat on the floor alone in the TARDIS, looking around.

The steady hum of the controls played in the back of his mind, niggling at him. He didn't want to just hear that, he didn't want to be able to hear his steady, slow breathing, because those quiet, subtle sounds just screamed in his head. He was alone.

The musical sound of her laughter used to echo off the metallic walls, her wide laugh used to be the only thing he would see. So why had he taken those precious things, and pushed them firmly away? Because they were so precious, that was why.

Her laugh, her wide smile, the way her eyes lit up as she talked, her hair, they way she talked. He loved her. And he wouldn't let her die; he would protect her until the end of the universe. And if protecting her meant she left him, then so be it.

'_So, how long are you going to stay with me, then?' _

'_Forever.'_

A small lonely tear trickled its way down The Doctor's forlorn face as he got up and walked over to the TARDIS doors, opening them and sitting on the edge, legs dangling.

The whole of the Milky Way was spread out before him like a glorious picture, swirling and pulsing. It made him smile, just ever so slightly, because Rose was down there somewhere. But there was also the odd feeling that this wasn't right, sat on the edge of the TARDIS, looking out at the universe.

The last time he had sat like this, there had been someone by his side, she had pointed at the stars and laughed at the names. She had told him it was beautiful, had squeezed his arm and told him that she loved it, loved travelling with him.

'I'm sorry, Rose.' He whispered to the universe, wondering if the wind would carry it all the way down through the Milky Way, through millions of light-years all the way to Earth.

Closing his eyes, all the memories played through his mind, the running, her hand in his, her smile, his quirky comments. They were perfect, the perfect team.

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The TARDIS door swung shut behind The Doctor as he strode out and down the snow covered streets of New New York. Why he had come to this place, he had no idea; this planet was filled with memories of her.

'Doctor?'

The Doctor swung around at the sound of his name, to see the Lord Mayor of New New York, completely cured of his Petrifold Regression.

'Hello, erm...?'

'Call me Stephen, why don't you? Where have you been, Doctor?' He replied enthusiastically, pumping The Doctor's hand up and down.

'Oh, erm...about...how are you?' He asked, trying to be polite but all he really wanted was to be alone. Because alone was how he was supposed to be, wasn't it? One of a kind, last of his race...alone. It was just the way it was. Right?

'I'm great, Doctor! All thanks to you and that lovely girl of course! Speaking of said lovely girl,' he glanced around before looking back to The Doctor, 'where is she?'

'Oh, she's...she's gone. Gone home. To where she's supposed to be.'

The Lord Mayor frowned at The Doctor's abrupt answer. 'Well...when you see her again, tell her I said Hello. Now, I really must dash, Doctor but will I be seeing you again?'

The Doctor solemnly shook his head. 'No, I was just leaving. Sorry, but good luck with everything. Nice to see you, bye.'

And with that he turned and walked back to the TARDIS.

That had been rude. Incredibly rude. Yes, he knew he could be rude, but unnecessarily rude? It wasn't the Lord Mayor's fault that Rose was gone, that he was to be alone. In fact, it was his fault.

Shaking his head, he set the controls to random and told himself to move on, he was being hypocritical by moping about when he had instructed her to do the opposite.

* * *

'Rose? Rose! Rose!' Jackie shouted, kneeling down on the cold, hard ground and shaking her daughter's shoulders until her eyes fluttered open in surprise.

Rose's eyes took a while to focus, but eventually the blonde hair, wide mouth and angry expression swam into view. 'M...Mum?'

'Yes, Mum! What the hell are you doing on the ground? You'll catch you're death of cold, where's The Doctor?'

Rose stared at her silently while her mother continued ranting on and on.

'I mean honestly, Rose! Falling asleep on the ground in the middle of September, where the heck is The Doctor, why didn't you come see me straight away! Or are you off saving the world or something? Where is he, he's always late, just like you're father was!'

'Mum, he's left me.'

'He should have stopped you falling asleep here, or as he run off with his ridiculous screwdriver to fix something or other, suppose he's still the same as ever! How come you haven't come to see me in months, I miss you, you know?'

'Mum, he's left me.'

Rose's repeated statement finally sank in to Jackie Tyler's head and she stopped suddenly, staring with shock at her daughter, who was gazing behind her blankly, as though the life had been taken from her eyes.

Jackie's face slowly turned from confusion, to puzzlement, to sympathy and finally settling on anger. 'He did _what_?'

'He left me.' Rose repeated once again, her tone still blank and face expressionless.

People walking past were beginning to stare at the two blondes sat on the floor in the park, one of them with a face like she'd just been slapped and the other; the younger one....looked like a lifeless zombie.

'He...left you?' Her mouth finally managed to twist around the words. Left her? He had left her, her daughter! He had left her Rose here? The bloody infuriating, stupid man! How dare he?

Rose nodded nonchalantly. 'He said it was too dangerous for me now and that I should come home and forget about him. Then he dropped me a few streets away. He's gone, Mum.'

Now, past the worst of the anger, Jackie's mothering instinct finally kicked in and she wrapped her arms around Rose, pulling her to her and kissing the top of her head.

'Oh Rose, I'm sorry, love. Come on, let's get home. You're going to get pneumonia.'

They struggled to their feet and walked back, Jackie's face one of concern. Rose hadn't said anything else, except for to answer her questions. Her face was pale and lifeless and her eyes were dull. Her daughter...had changed.

'Do want a cup of tea, love? You look like you need one.' She asked as she opened the door to the flat and they both stepped through, Rose glancing around.

Rose nodded silently and watched while her Mum went to put the kettle on. Everything about this flat was so...familiar. So homey and domestic. Too domestic. She wasn't used to staying in one place for more than a few days, that was the life she had become accustomed to, the life she loved.

But that life was over, and this is what she had to settle for. A two bedroom flat in London, with her Mum and a dead end job, oh great. Yet she couldn't bring herself to blame Jimmy Stone for this. If she hadn't left school when she did, she wouldn't have been working in that shop, she wouldn't have been there for The Doctor to grab her hand and shout 'Run!'

A small taste of an amazing, brilliant life was better than no taste at all. Right?

But however hard she tried; Rose couldn't convince herself that this was all a good thing. She wanted the TARDIS, she wanted to travel the universe, she wanted excitement and danger.

She wanted The Doctor.

'Here you go, Rose.'

Rose took the cup of tea and sipped at it without really tasting anything, it seemed to hit her stomach wrong, as though she didn't really want it. That feeling escalated until the tea was suddenly repulsive to her and she put it down, shoving it away.

Jackie watched her silent daughter with worried eyes, she hadn't spoke and now she was shoving away her mug without even having drunk half. Something was wrong, more than just upset and anger at being deserted.

'Rose, you knew he was going to tell you to go sometime, didn't you?' She said softly, putting her own cup of tea down.

Rose nodded, though she was bleeding out inside. 'Yeah. Just not...like this, not yet.'

'Well...maybe it is for the best darlin', I never knew whether you were safe or not. He's right, it was too dangerous. He's done the right thing.'

Rose froze at her words and her mouth tightened into a straight line as she looked at her Mum. 'Fine. He did the right thing, well that's just great, isn't it? So I'll be going to bed now, night, Mum.' She said abruptly, getting up and only just controlling her anger until she had reached the safety that lay behind her bedroom door.

Viciously grabbing a pillow from the bed, she flung it at the wardrobe in a burst of temper before collapsing on the bed, trying to quiet the storm of emotions ravaging inside of her.

Sure, she was safe now. And her Mum had her home. And she wouldn't die from some alien threat. Well brilliant, wonderful, fan-bloody-tastic! But she also had no job, no qualifications and no...no...no...

No Doctor.

No-one to laugh her head off with, no-one to hold her hand and tell her to run, no-one to take her to different planets, no-one to show her the universe.

No-one to make her feel like she was actually useful for something, rather than calling her useless and leaving her behind. Because that's what The Doctor had done, he'd made her feel like she was actually good at something.

He had made her feel brilliant. But now he was gone, and she wasn't brilliant anymore. The light had gone out; the fiery flame inside her had been extinguished.

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**Again, quite angsty, but I think you would be too! Next chapter should be with you in a few days! Thanks for your reviews! Thanks for reading and please review! X =D**


	4. Sinking

**Hi, sorry this update has taken a while, but it's here now! Hope you like it and please review! X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own Doctor Who, if I did, I'd be a genius, which I'm not. =D**

**Chapter 3 – Sinking**

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Jackie Tyler came storming into her daughter's bedroom, a few days worth of washing over one arm, and a cup of tea in the other.

'Rose, you up?!' She shouted at the mound of duvet and pillow that somewhere concealed her heartbroken daughter.

Rose inwardly groaned at the sound of her mother's voice and shoved back the covers, sitting up and pushing the hair from her damp eyes. For the last few days, she hadn't once woken up with dry eyes, hadn't once been to bed and not fallen asleep with tear tracks down her face.

'Yes, Mum. I'm up. What?' She asked apathetically, her eyes not focusing on anything in particular.

Jackie looked at her daughter's vacant expression and sighed. This wasn't her Rose. Her Rose didn't break herself over one man, her Rose didn't resign herself to bed over one man. And her Rose certainly didn't give up, maybe that was her problem.

She made her way over to the bed and sat down next to Rose, dumping the washing on the floor and placing the tea on the bedside table. 'Rose, what are you going to do? You can't lie here for the rest of your life, sweetie.'

Rose knew her Mum was talking sense, knew she was right. But she didn't care, why should she? She knew she should get up and try to do something, get a job, but how? What are you meant to do after travelling the universe with The Doctor? So Rose just shrugged and ducked her head, lips forming into a moody pout.

Jackie tentatively reached out a hand to push back her daughter's blonde, ragged hair. 'Have you brushed this lately?' She asked softly as her hands collided with several knots. Rose merely shook her head silently.

'Come on, Rose. This isn't you, I know it isn't, and so do you.' She finally said, knowing she'd get no more out of her daughter that morning. Jackie of all people knew it took time for a broken heart to heal, but most people didn't spend an entire week in bed, hardly eating and barely talking. Most people at least began to think about getting on with life, however sad they may be. But Rose...she was just...broken. She couldn't think of a better adjective than broken. Because that's what she was. Her spirit, her soul, her personality, her drive, her fire...her heart...all of them, broken.

At that, Rose looked up at her Mum and Jackie was once again stung by the emptiness of her eyes. 'No, Mum. This _is_ me. This is me, without The Doctor. Useless.'

Rose's words stabbed Jackie in a way she couldn't imagine, to watch her only daughter, her flesh and blood, confessing that she thought she was useless, worthless without a man. That hurt. Because Rose wasn't like this...but then...The Doctor wasn't just any other man was he? He was The Doctor.

'Rose...The Doctor...I know he's brilliant and he made you feel really great, but...he's gone, and...From what I can gather, this is what he does, Rose. He leaves people behind because he doesn't want to watch them die.'

A tear dropped from Rose's left eye and trickled solemnly down her pale face, eventually dripping off her jaw and splashing onto her pyjamas. 'He didn't just make me feel great, Mum...we had fun, I was useful for a change...he let me _do _things...I've saved planets, Mum.' Her voice broke on the last word as she realised what she had been forced to give up. Because she had, she'd saved planets, rescued civilisations with him by her side. How on earth were you ever supposed to forget that feeling, that feeling that maybe, just maybe, you were meant to do something bigger, better...how could you move on from that?

'I think I loved him, Mum.' She admitted quietly, staring down at the pink duvet. Though she didn't think, she knew. She loved The Doctor, she loved him and she loved travelling with him. But he'd gone, he'd left her. And she knew her heart was in pieces, smashed by his earth-shattering words.

Jackie didn't know what to say; it wasn't like she didn't know Rose had loved him, that much was obvious simply from the way she'd looked at him...but to hear her admit that, she knew Rose was grasping at straws to find meaning left in her life.

'Rose, honey...you've got to _try_. Listen, when your Dad died, I thought I'd never get over it...but I did, I got up and got on with life, and eventually the pain began to numb a little...and that'll be the same for you, you just have to give life a go, sweetheart.'

'I don't want to, Mum.' Rose insisted stubbornly, her eyes welling up. 'I don't want to move on, I don't want to forget him...he made me feel on top of the world...I don't _want_ to forget him...it's all I've got.'

Jackie sighed again, picking the washing back up off the floor. 'I don't know what else to say then...but, he's not coming back for you. He'll have made his mind up about this; he isn't going to come back for you, Rose.'

Once her Mum had left her alone in the bedroom, her eyes lifted and she glanced around the pink walls of her bedroom, the cluttered dresser and wooden wardrobe...all of it seemed so ordinary now. She put her head back on the pillow, but her eyes remained open, allowing the tears to escape and roll down her cheeks as she stared blankly at the wall, a deep sense of melancholy and desperation coursing through her.

'_...he isn't coming back for you, Rose.' _

Her Mum was right, as much as the words stung and hurt, they were true. The Doctor had made his mind up, he'd left her and he wasn't going to come back. There was no knight in shining armour to save her anymore, there was just her, her Mum and the rest of London, so dreary in all its humanity.

Sarah Jane's face flashed before her memory, The Doctor had done the same to her, left her with hardly a goodbye. But he'd promised, promised he wouldn't do that...but he had. She didn't even have Mickey anymore, he'd stayed in the parallel universe...she'd lost almost everything. But most importantly, she'd lost The Doctor. And at those realisations, Rose felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into loneliness and a feeling overwhelmed her...the feeling that she'd never shake this loneliness off.

* * *

'What the hell do you mean, they're back?!' Captain Jack Harkness shouted across the hub to Tosh, who was sat at her computer, tapping frantically at the keyboard.

She looked up at him, urgency in her eyes. 'The Nestene Consciousness, they're back.'

A heavy, female welsh accent broke through the thick silence. 'And would someone care to explain what the hell the Nestene Consciousness is?'

'They were around in the Great Time-War,' Jack began to explain to Gwen, glancing at Tosh, 'but they almost died out when all their feeding planets were destroyed, they kind of convert plastic to eat things...they invaded Earth about a year ago, but it seems The Doctor dealt with it...but now, they seem to be heading for Cardiff.'

Tosh nodded. 'They're definitely headed for Cardiff...I think they know we're here, Jack.'

'Well what are we going to do?' Gwen asked, looking at Jack with panicked eyes.

Jack met her worried gaze for a moment before looking away again. 'Nothing, we can't do anything about it until they come. Just go home, its fine.'

'You sure?' Tosh checked, though she was already grabbing her jacket and pushing her arms through the sleeves.

'Yeah, go get lost.' Jack told her, flashing her a quick grin before she left.

'Jack...I don't want to go home.' Gwen said quietly once they were left alone.

Jack looked at Gwen, fighting an internal battle. 'Gwen...you have to go home, I know it's hard.'

'Hard? Of course it's bloody hard! Rhys left me because of you, Jack! If we'd have just not...' Gwen exclaimed, picking up her coat and fighting against her stinging eyes, hoping that she wouldn't cry.

Jack took a step towards her, reaching his hand out. 'I'm so sorry-'

She flinched away from him, 'don't touch me...' She choked out before quickly exiting; only allowing a small tear to escape as soon as she was free of the building.

Jack sighed and cast his eyes around the empty hub, Ianto and Owen had gone home already a few hours before. Reaching out a hand, he flicked the main lights off and retreated to his office, pouring himself a generous measure of whisky as he watched the monitoring screen record the slowly approaching Nestene Consciousness, they would be here by this time tomorrow.

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**I know the Torchwood stuff there is very AU, obviously because Gwen's already there and Rhys has left her...but this story is set before Torchwood was ever broadcast, so I guess I can do what I want! Tee hee, please review! X =D**


	5. Running Away

**Hey, glad to see the lovely response to this story, thanks for all your reviews and please keep them coming! Hope you like the chapter, X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own Doctor Who or Torchwood, or any of the characters – they all belong to the BBC. =D**

**Chapter 4 – Running Away**

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'You're what?!' Jackie exclaimed, staring with dismay and shock at her daughter who was stood outside her bedroom, suitcase next to her on the floor.

Rose sighed and looked at her Mum, when she saw the confusion in her expression, she felt a small pang of guilt for going, but she just had to. She had to get out of London, out of this flat; she couldn't stay where everything reminded her of _him_. It was just too hard, every time she walked down the street and saw shops they'd been in, or every time she saw a mannequin in a shop window, she was reminded of the first time she'd met him. And the memories hurt almost as much as knowing that he wasn't coming back, she had to get away from them all and go somewhere where it might be easier to forget everything that had happened.

But though she tried to convince herself, Rose knew the truth better than anyone. She was, in effect, running away.

'I'm going to Cardiff, Mum.' She repeated, not meeting her gaze, scared of what she would see there. Betrayal? Hurt? Annoyance?

'Cardiff?' Jackie asked in disbelief, 'what the hell d'ya want to go to Cardiff for?'

Rose looked down, she knew why she was going to Cardiff, but her Mum didn't need to know about that. If she did, she would almost certainly stop her, tell her that she had to get a clean break from that sort of thing; she'd tell her it was too dangerous. 'I've rented a flat there, Mum...it just seems to be the right thing to do...I need to get away from all this.'

Jackie looked at her daughter and sighed, shaking her head slightly. 'You're running away?' Although, it didn't sound so much like a question as a statement.

'Yeah, I suppose I am. I've got to get a clean break, Mum...I'm just doing what you said, trying to move on.'

'I know, love...but _Cardiff_?'

Rose looked up and brushed the hair from her eyes. 'I promise I'll come visit you lots, Mum. I'll be fine. I've just got to get away from all this, I've got a friend there, he'll help me.'

Jackie's mouth curved up into a slight smile. '_He_?'

Rose chuckled, all but rolling her eyes at Jackie's typical mother's reaction. 'No, Mum, it's not like that...' but there she trailed off, because it kind of had been like that...dancing on Big Ben, holding hands...they even had their own song....

But not anymore, it wasn't like that anymore, because it hadn't lasted long at all...because she'd realised she was already in love with someone else. She was in love with The Doctor.

'Ok, I'll believe you, Rose.' Jackie replied, knowing her daughter was telling the truth, if she was honest, it didn't look like Rose wanted to be with anyone else...not after The Doctor. And she knew she was fighting a losing battle, but she couldn't go...not now...

'I only just got you back, Rose.' She said quietly and Rose could have sworn her eyes were glimmering slightly, a surge of guilt ran through her but she stood tall, she knew she had to get out, had to run away.

'I know...and I'm sorry, Mum, I really am...but I will visit and phone you, I promise.' She told her, stepping forward and pulling her into a tight, genuine hug. 'Love you, Mum.' She whispered, a small tear escaping from an eye.

'I know, darlin', I know. It's alright, you go. Love you too.' Jackie told her, patting her on the back and watching as Rose walked out the door with one last kiss to her cheek. Once the door had closed and the flat was again silent, Jackie sank onto the sofa with a glass of wine, a few lone tears rolling down her cheek.

Her daughter, her poor, broken daughter had left to look after herself and Jackie was scared for her, she was nowhere near over it, even three weeks later. The Doctor had left her with no warning and Rose had torn herself to pieces over it, now she was going out into the wild world with nothing but a broken heart and harrowing memories.

But Jackie told herself that Rose could look after herself, she'd travelled the universe and saved planets for heaven's sake, surely she could take care of herself in Cardiff...couldn't she?

* * *

Rose watched apathetically out of the taxi windows as the memory paved streets of London grew further behind her and they wound their way through the South Wales countryside, trees and fields whipping by. It was beautiful, of course, at any other time, the sun glancing off the rolling hills and shaping the vast countryside with the shadows it cast would have stunned her, but now it barely registered in her exhausted mind. She wasn't physically tired, but her mind, emotions and heart had been to hell and back these past few weeks and all she wanted to do was run away from it all. So as they neared Cardiff, the road signs pointing the way, Rose allowed herself a small smile. Maybe in the different air and surroundings of Cardiff, she could begin to let go off her lonely angel, The Doctor.

* * *

'Jack, there's someone pacing outside, they seem to keep looking at the tower...it's weird, like they know we're here. Like they're waiting for us.' Tosh called out to Jack, frowning at the CCTV screen.

'Really?' Jack asked, crossing over to look for himself. Gwen looked up from where she sat on the steps, lost in thought.

Jack peered at the screen, and at that moment, the woman turned around and Jack's face split into a grin. 'It's Rose!' He exclaimed, grabbing his navy military coat and pulling it on. 'Just a minute, I'll show her in and explain.'

When he had disappeared out of the exit, Tosh turned to Gwen, ignoring Owen who had come over to look at the screen, too.

'Who's Rose? You ever heard of her?'

Gwen shook her head sadly and dropped her eyes to her jean clad knees again, feeling a strange surge of jealousy and hurt travel through her.

'Probably just another woman he managed to ruin in one night.' She muttered to herself, bringing up a hand to brush away a single tear before the others could see.

Meanwhile, outside, Jack was approaching Rose, but by now, his grin had dropped. She hadn't seen him next, but he could see her expression from the side and it was forlorn, lost...devastated, but there was a familiarity to it that cut him...

Her expression almost exactly matched the one Gwen had been wearing ever since Rhys left her, and he knew that he had left because of him and...

He couldn't bring himself to be reminded of it as he came within earshot of her.

'Rose?'

Rose whirled around at the sound of the voice she desperately wanted to hear, and when she saw him her face unexpectedly broke into a smile.

'Jack!' She exclaimed, stepping forward to him and hugging him back as he pulled her into a strong embrace.

'Rose, what you doing here? Where's the Doc?!'

Back in the hub, Gwen looked at Jack hug her, then saw the blonde woman's smile at his greeting and she knew that she was right, Captain Jack Harkness didn't do love, no matter about Estelle or any of the others...Jack Harkness did flings, he got what he wanted and then forgot about it, not caring what he left behind.

But as she looked at him hugging this mysterious blonde woman, though she told herself she didn't care, the jealousy from before returned and ebbed under her skin as her lips tightened, holding back the sob that otherwise would have burst forth.

* * *

**Hope you like where I've gone with both Rose leaving for Torchwood and the stuff with Gwen, please, please review and tell me what you think! X =D**


	6. Perfection is Never Eternal

**Hi, thanks for the reviews last chapter, hope you like this chapter, they'll be a bit more about Gwen and Jack in this one too! Please review at the end, they don't take long! X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own Doctor Who or Torchwood, it all belongs to the BBC, who we'd all be very bored without, to be honest. =D**

**Chapter 5 – Perfection is Never Eternal**

* * *

'_Where's the Doc?' _Jack's light, carefree question caused Rose a stab of pain, telltale tears welling up behind her wide brown eyes. Because that was the question, where was The Doctor? Was he off with some new companion, a woman most likely, exploring the universe? Was there now some other girl in Rose's place, being stunned by all the glory, slowly falling for the man who gave her the key to it all?

Or was he the same as her...wallowing, regretful...wanting to be anything but alone. But Rose thought it was most likely to be the former, because that's just what The Doctor did and she had been foolish to think she was different, silly to think she was special. The Doctor met people and he showed them more than they ever could imagine, but during that time he grew close to them and then he realises that he's going to lose them...one day. So he leaves them, he tells them to go, or sometimes he just leaves them behind without a word, all just so he doesn't have to watch the people he cares about die.

And Rose knew she had been foolish and naive to think she was any different, no matter the promises they had made.

'Rose? Where's The Doctor? What's wrong?' Jack asked, concerned now as he took in her lost expression again, the one that matched Gwen's so well.

'He's gone.'

'He's dead?! What?! How?!' Jack exclaimed, alarmed at her simple statement.

Rose shook her head, blinking to try keep her tears at bay, she was tired of crying. 'No, he's fine...great, probably. But he's left me...he told me it was too dangerous and that I should go home. He told me not to look for him.' She told him, staring at the concrete pavement.

Jack frowned. The Doctor told Rose to leave him? No way...surely not, Jack thought he'd never leave her...he'd seen the way he looked at Rose...yet...maybe that was it, Jack knew The Doctor didn't like to watch people die but imagine having to watch the death of someone you care about that much...still, Jack could see that The Doctor had broken her heart.

'I'm sorry, Rose.' He murmured, hugging her tightly again. 'But if he told you not to look for him, why are you here?'

Rose stood back and looked up at him, hoping he couldn't see the moisture just below her eyes. 'I'm not listening. I have to find him, I have to speak to him...I promised him forever and I ain't gonna let him make me break it.'

Jack just nodded and smiled sadly...thinking of a promise he'd broken, the very broken promise that had caused Gwen to look as sad as Rose did now.

'I need him, Jack.' She whispered, looking up at the water tower, glistening under the midday sun. 'Please help me.'

He nodded and slipped his arm through hers, leading her into the hub. 'Of course I will. How d'you know we were here, anyway?' He asked conversationally as they walked down the passageway towards the others.

'The Doctor told me about Torchwood, we visited Torchwood One in London because of a small alien problem...but that was in 2078.' She explained, looking around with slight awe at the hub. 'And he told me about Torchwood Three here in Cardiff and about how you run it and everything...' She trailed off, her eyes falling on the centre of the hub.

'Wow.'

Jack grinned. 'Pretty impressive, huh?'

Rose nodded and smiled slightly, realising how good it felt to genuinely smile and knowing she had made the right choice in coming here. 'It's great.'

'Ok, do you wanna wait right here, Rose? I'm gonna go tell the others who you are, then we'll get you started.'

'How d'ya mean, get me started?' Rose asked, mirroring Jack and hanging her jacket up.

Jack beamed at her and gave her a wink. 'Your new job, Miss Tyler. Won't find The Doc unless you work for Torchwood!'

Rose smiled, relishing again in how good it felt, amazed at how that small action could feel so good. 'Ok, then. Cool.' She said, watching as he walked off, looking for the others. As she was stood there, apparently alone, Rose gazed around the hub, the flickering lights, high-tech computers, alien technology, complicated formulas, the rift manipulator...and she knew, that if anyone could find The Doctor, it was Torchwood.

* * *

'So, you know Jack.'

Rose's head whipped around the where the voice had come from and she took in the mahogany hair, dark brown eyes and hard expression of the woman now stood in front of her. It was a statement, not a question.

'Oh, yeah...we ran into each other in the 1940s...' Rose explained, trailing off when the woman's eyes met hers. They were dull, empty...they seemed to be expressionless, and now Rose noticed other things about the woman. The dejected way in which she stood, her eyes not focusing on anything in particular, then there was the straight set of her mouth and the grey areas under her eyes, signalling the nights she had stayed up to late, her mind whirring on and on.

Rose wondered what had happened to her...what had she seen, or done? Or perhaps someone had done something to her...but Rose didn't ponder on the reasons behind the woman's underlying distress long, as she then wondered...wondered if she looked like that, lost desperate...broken.

'You don't look like you're from the 1940s.' She said, casting her eyes over Rose's jeans and tee-shirt ensemble.

Rose shook her head. 'I'm not...I used to travel with a friend, but...then I had to go, so I came here, to see Jack.'

'You used to time travel?' She asked, really interested now. Just great, wasn't it? A mysterious blonde comes from the future, with some unknown past and a friend that could time travel. How on earth could she ever compete with that? She wasn't interesting, or exciting...she was just someone Jack used for one night because he was bored, it just so happened that that night had caused more than one devastating consequence.

Rose nodded, taking a deep shaky breath and ordering herself not to cry, it wouldn't do for this woman to ask questions on who her friend was, or why she had to leave. The fewer times she had to repeat the story, the less the reality hurt.

'For about a year, but I'm just here now. Couldn't stay in London.'

'Hello ladies, getting on?' Jack asked brightly, holding out a strange telephone device to Rose, who took it and fitted it around her ear.

'I'm going to get a coffee.' The woman suddenly said, walking off, Rose staring at her, confused before she turned back to Jack.

'Who is she?'

Jack glanced at Gwen, who now had her back to them while she boiled the kettle, Ianto having taken the day off to visit some family apparently.

'Gwen Cooper, she's been working here a few months. Now, that's your phone device, keep it on as often as possible, ok?'

'Ok. So what d'ya want me doing? What's happening?' Rose asked, looking once more at the computer screens and flashing technology.

Jack turned his head again to look at Gwen, who was now leaning back against a desk, sipping at her coffee while she stared dismally into the murky contents.

'I just need to go talk to Gwen a minute, why don't you go introduce yourself to the others, maybe ask them to show you around a bit?'

'Alright, sure.' Rose replied, frowning as Jack strode off purposely towards Gwen.

* * *

'Gwen, we need to talk.'

Gwen looked up to see Jack stood in front of her, silently, she put her coffee down and followed him into his office, watching as he shut the door and pulled the blinds down.

'There's nothing to say.' She said once he's turned back around.

Jack sighed as she dropped her head and resumed staring at the floor, her hair falling over her forlorn face.

'Gwen, I'm sorry about-'

Gwen's head snapped up and Jack was surprised by the fiery anger in her glare. 'Sorry about what, Jack?!' She shouted, standing up straight.

'Sorry you flaming kissed me at that crash site when no-one was looking? Sorry you bloody kept me here late and ended up shagging me?! Sorry that you said you thought we shouldn't have done it in the morning?! Or maybe you're sorry that Rhys found out and left? Come on, which one is it, Jack?' She took a deep, ragged breath, looking at him in pure disgust.

'You promised me, Jack...you promised it'd be alright, that you were going to make sure I was happy...I guess you're sorry about that to.' She added softly, putting her head down again so as to hide the tears slipping from her eyes, small, glistening traitors.

* * *

_He was holding her face between his hands, her back up against the wall, lips slightly swollen from their second kiss that day...Gwen knew she shouldn't be doing this, it wasn't fair on Rhys. But ever small stab of guilt didn't stay long; in fact it disappeared whenever he touched her, when he kissed her, when he whispered her name. _

'_Jack-'_

_His finger moved to her lips, silencing her as his sincere gaze pierced hers. 'It's alright, Gwen, I promise. I promise I can make you happy; I'll make sure of that. I can't do this anymore...I need you, Gwen.' His thumb traced across her cheek as he pressed a light kiss to her lips. _

'_I know.' She whispered in reply, giving into him and letting him lead her to his bed, little did she know the perfect night she would have, was to be marred by a nightmare morning as the deadly grasp of guilt and regret hit them. But in that moment, nothing mattered...it was just them, and it was perfect. _

_But everyone knows perfection is never eternal._

* * *

Jack drew himself out of the memory, shutting his eyes so as to rid himself of the stab of guilt, the pain of seeing her so broken over that night...over the promises he had broken, the way he had taken back his soft words by morning.

'I'm sorry about all of it, Gwen...I'm so sorry...I didn't want-'

Gwen cut him off again, looking up so he could see the tear tracks down her cheeks, her glistening eyes and helpless expression.

'Well, I'll give you something else to be sorry about, Jack.'

'What do you mean?' Jack asked, frowning and trying to ignore her tears, seeing her this broken because of him hurt more than it should.

'I bet you're sorry I got pregnant, too. And no, Jack...there's no chance it's Rhys's, before you ask.' She choked out, pushing past him and wrenching the door open, disappearing out from the hub before he could even turn around.

Slowly, Jack's mind took in her words and he emitted a small whisper of shock. '_Pregnant_?'

* * *

**Dun, dun, dun! What do you think of what I did with Gwen and Jack? Please review and tell me your thoughts on the chapter! X =D**

* * *


	7. Searching

**Hey, thanks for the reviews last chapter, glad you liked it! I want to take this opportunity to mention the Doctor Who story BananaBabe903 and I are writing together. It's on her profile and is called 'Here Come The Girls'. It's got to Chapter 6 at the moment, so please, please check it out!!! **

**Disclaimer – I own Doctor Who! I own the BBC! I'm Queen of the World! (Little people in mind shake their heads and tell me firmly that I do not own the BBC or Doctor Who, and I most certainly am not Queen of the World.) Darn the little people in mind! Fine – I own zilch. Happy now little people???!!!!**

**Chapter 7 – Searching**

* * *

Rose walked across the hub to see a man sat at a desk, bent over some papers. He had a long white medical coat on and a grim expression. Rose approached him nervously, trying to get a glimpse of what he was doing.

'Um...hi, I'm Rose, Jack's friend.' She said, causing him to look up at her before his face broke into a smile and he held out his hand.

'Dr Owen Harper, pleased to meet you.' He told her with a smile. 'But you can just call me Owen.'

Rose smiled and nodded. 'Ok... um, does anyone want to tell me what's going on around here, Jack sort of dashed off to speak to Gwen.'

'Oh he did, did he?' Rose heard a voice behind her. She turned to see a young Asian woman tapping away at a keyboard. 'I'm Tosh by the way.' She added, noticing Rose's curious stare.

Rose nodded. 'Gwen, Owen and Tosh. Got it.' She said, turning back to Owen and trying once more to peer over his shoulder at the papers, but they didn't seem to make any sense, it was just a load of numbers, letters and funny symbols.

'What you doing?' She asked, frowning at the weird writing.

Owen looked up at her again. 'Oh, it's Kraguirji, an alien language. I'm translating it.' He told her before returning to the papers.

Rose bit her lip and turned away, looking around the hub for the tenth time...suddenly all the technology, formulas and computers looked incredibly daunting...she didn't understand any of this, she wasn't clever, or smart like that...she knew what to do if she was on an alien planet, and about different races and planets...she even knew a little about the Shadow Proclamation, but all this technology? No – she wasn't good with that sort of stuff...how on earth could she find The Doctor again when she didn't even know what she was doing?

She pushed her doubts and fears to the back of her mind as Jack came up to her, smiling. But Rose didn't miss the worry behind his eyes, the shock in his expression...what had he and Gwen talked about?

'Hey, Rose, how you getting on?' He asked, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Rose nodded. 'Good...but no-one seems to be telling me what's happening.' She prompted, looking at him questioningly.

Jack made an awkward face as Tosh glanced at him knowingly. 'You're going to have to tell her, Jack.' She said as Rose frowned.

'Ok, what's going on?' She demanded, turning back to Jack again, her face serious.

Jack sighed and with a hand still on her shoulder, led her away a few metres.

'Yesterday evening we got a trace on some alien movement, and they didn't come through the rift – they arrived here. And in a few hours, they'll be here.' He told her, his voice grave.

Rose frowned. 'Yeah, and what aliens are they?' She asked, wondering why the team looked so serious. How bad could it be? The Doctor had said Torchwood dealt with aliens all the time, so why was this so bad? The hub was silent, all eyes on them...waiting for Jack to tell her, waiting impatiently for her reaction.

And then a particularly nasty idea struck Rose, one that made her eyes widen in fear and take a small, sharp intake of air. 'No.' She whispered, fear building inside her.

'It's not the Daleks, is it?' She asked in a terrified whisper, looking from Owen, to Tosh and finally back to Jack again.

Jack exhaled. 'No, it's not the Daleks, don't worry...but I think you've dealt with these aliens before...'

'What are they? Just tell me!' Rose insisted, getting annoyed now with the prolonged silence...if it wasn't Daleks, how bad could it be?

'The Nestene Consciousness...they're heading for the bay, they'll be here in two hours.' He told her simply, waiting to gauge her reaction.

The Nestene Consciousness. The first aliens she and The Doctor had ever faced together...the ones who she had helped destroy, the reason why he had grabbed her hand and ordered her to run...the aliens that had started it all.

Rose's eyes widened as she took the information in.... 'But, we need anti-plastic, there was this stuff The Doctor had, he said it was a special recipe...I thought they were dead forever, how are they alive?' She asked, trying to process it all...they needed anti-plastic, but how could they get some, when it was something The Doctor himself had made?

'They've bred again, it's complicated but basically, they're headed for earth again and Tosh has worked out that they're probably planning to use the rift to spread through time and feed. And we have no idea how to stop them.' Jack said, his expression desperate as he admitted they didn't know what to do.

* * *

Rose took a deep breath, trying to keep calm, though it was a little hard. In just two hours the earth was going to be invaded by plastic eating aliens who could potentially destroy the whole planet throughout history and they had no idea what to do. 'There was this anti-plastic stuff, you pour it into the Consciousness and it kind of dies and goes, but...The Doctor said he made it himself.

Jack grinned. 'Well then, we've got to find The Doctor, haven't we?'

'Have you gone mad, Jack? How can we find him in two hours?! He could be anywhere; the universe is a big place you know!' Rose exclaimed, looking at him as if he'd gone absolutely mental.

'Besides, if he knew I was here, he wouldn't come anyway.' She added quietly, looking down at the metal floor.

'What's going on?' A voice asked and everyone looked up to see that Gwen had returned.

Jack looked up at her, a feeling of fear rising inside him as he was reminded of what was currently growing inside her...the result of that night. A baby. _His_ baby.

'We're talking about what to do about the Nestene Consciousness. Rose says The Doctor had this anti-plastic stuff, but he made it himself. We need to try find The Doctor, and fast.'

Gwen nodded, doing her best to be strong. She had decided there was no good to come of moping around the hub anymore, she had to move on and forget Jack. She would keep this baby, the idea of aborting it made her shudder; she just couldn't bring herself to do it. And she would have her baby, and it would be _hers_, not Jack's. She would bring her child up, and it need never know who its father was, and the rest of the team didn't need to know either.

'So, what can I do to help?' She asked, looking Jack determinedly in the eye.

Jack attempted a smile at her, but her blank expression didn't waver. 'Go open the advanced tracking program.' He told her with a wink, 'you know which one I mean. And I'll come over and give you the TARDIS base code, see what we get.'

Gwen nodded again and went over to a computer, opening a series of complicated programmes and typing various passwords and key-codes in, while Rose watched, completely baffled.

As Jack began shouting various orders out, all centred around the Nestene Consciousness and finding The Doctor, Rose just stood there and let it all wash over her, the orders to the others not sinking in.

All she could think about was The Doctor...she'd come here to find him, true...but also, to see that if she couldn't, maybe there was a chance of moving on...but the chance to find him had come too soon...she wasn't sure of what to say, what to do...she was scared.

Scared of how much it would hurt when he rejected her again, scared of the pain she would feel when he once again left her behind. But also, what if he didn't come? Suppose they couldn't find him, or he didn't come to help them? What would they do then?

He had let her down, who was to say he wouldn't let Torchwood down?

* * *

**Hope you liked the chapter, please tell me what you think and review! X =D**


	8. Someone Better

**Hi, thanks for your kind reviews as ever, please keep them coming as they are really helpful, I love constructive criticism, so if you have any, feel free to tell me! Here's the next chapter, hope you like it! X =D**

**Disclaimer – The BBC own anything you recognise, I own zilch, nada, zero.**

**Chapter 8 – Someone Better**

* * *

'Where was it again?' The Doctor asked, fiddling with the controls as he looked up at the young blonde woman stood across from him.

'Um, it's near the market place, you can just drop me off there if you want.' She told him, watching in bemusement as The Doctor yanked down on a lever and the TARDIS lurched into movement. Even after all she had seen that day, and she had seen a lot, not to mention the amount of running, the whole idea that there _were_ others out there, aliens existed...it was all pretty crazy to her. Her whole life, she'd always been a practical person and just believed it was Earth and nothing else. But the hectic, mad day she had just had running from aliens on a spaceship far above the Earth proved her wrong. How was she supposed to have known that the skeleton she believed to be an ancient type of jawless vertebrate was actually one of their dead relatives and they thought she was trying to overtake the race by consuming their DNA?

'Now, the Pacivatus won't bother you again, so you just go back to the museum and have a great life, ok?' The Doctor told her brightly, pressing a few more buttons.

She nodded and smiled at him. 'Sure, no problem. I'll be glad after all that. And thanks, for helping me. I'd probably be dead if you hadn't come in.'

'It's alright, it's what I do.' He said, hoping she wouldn't notice the cardigan draped over one of the rails, something that had haunted him for weeks. It was Rose's, she had accidently left it behind, yet he hadn't the heart to move it.

'I know...you know you haven't actually told me who you really are yet?'

The Doctor nodded passively. 'It's better that way, just thank me and go, yeah?' He told her, though not unkindly.

'Yeah...Doctor?'

'What?'

'Whose is that cardigan?' She asked, pointing to the pink cardigan, echoing the missing presence of a certain someone.

'Oh...that.' The Doctor said quietly, swallowing and looking away. 'It was a friends, she left it behind.'

She frowned. 'Who?'

The Doctor sighed and ran a tired hand through his hair. 'I had a friend, she used to travel with me...but she left, well, I kind of left, but yeah...' He trailed off, his eyes resting on the cardigan. 'Rose.'

'Huh?'

The Doctor looked up at her. 'Rose. Her name was Rose.' For some reason, each time he said her name, it was like a massive pull at his two hearts, a feeling that he quickly identified as yearning...and yes – he missed her. Missed her like hell. But he wouldn't go back, he wouldn't give in. Because he wanted her to live, wanted her to have a long happy life. Didn't want her to die because of him. He wanted her to be safe...because he loved her.

She nodded, biting her lip. 'Oh...right. Well, are we there yet?'

The Doctor nodded. 'Almost.'

But then, suddenly everything shut down, the controls were non-responsive and the TARDIS seemed to be flying out of control.

'What?! What?! What?!' The Doctor exclaimed, staring at the controls in shock as they seemed to land somewhere with a bump.

'What the hell's going on, Doctor?!' She called out in her strong Welsh accent, clutching at the rails.

'Someone's taken control of her, we've landed somewhere. But the only people that have the TARDIS base code are...' The Doctor trailed off, realisation hitting him like a ton of bricks. Torchwood.

He groaned. 'Well isn't this..._wizard_.'

* * *

Rose looked on nervously with the rest of the team as the TARDIS began to materialise before their very eyes. It looked as familiar as ever, but Rose couldn't help but worry who was inside...The Doctor, obviously...but would there be someone else? Someone who had taken her place, who was perhaps more intelligent than her, someone The Doctor didn't have to worry about so much...someone _better_ than her.

There were butterflies in her stomach as the wooden door opened with a long creak, and The Doctor appeared, an expectant expression on his face, which soon turned to shock when his eyes rested on Rose, searching her blank expression for any sign of emotion. But Rose was holding her own, forcing back the unbidden tears that seemed to have a desire to form, and keeping her mouth in a straight line. The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering in abundance at the sight of The Doctor, it was strange that even after all that had happened, the same feelings were still there...the same wants, the same needs...the same love.

But then, those fluttering butterflies were still, just for one moment...before they exploded. Because someone else had stepped out of the TARDIS.

Someone with long, natural blonde hair. Someone who needed no makeup, she was beautiful. Someone who was tall and simply yet classily dressed. Someone with a curious, interested expression on her face. Someone who went and stood next to The Doctor and asked, in a confident voice, where they were. Someone with soft pink lips and ice blue eyes and the perfect figure.

Someone _better_ than her.

And then Rose could stand it no longer, as she looked at the pair...The Doctor, and this unknown, attractive woman...she truly broke. The tears could be held back no longer and the burst forth from her eyes and streamed down her face...they looked so right, so like equals...even from the way she was standing, Rose could tell she was confident, and clever...and she was the complete opposite from herself. And that's why The Doctor had replaced her with her, because she was better.

With no excuse, she ran from the room and outside, running away from the hub, away from him, away from _her_ and collapsing on a bench, watching the setting sun cast its orange glow across the still waters of Cardiff Bay. And as the sun sank beneath the distant horizon, it took with it the faintest glimmer of hope that Rose had held, repressed, but there.

She had hoped, had the faintest, tiniest inkling of hope that maybe, just maybe he would come, and would change his mind and say he was sorry, take her in his arms and give her one of his tight hugs. But that hope was now gone, destroyed by the presence of the woman who had stepped out of the TARDIS.

* * *

**Please review!**

**Also, in a few weeks I will be starting a Torchwood/Twilight fic, yet I am unsure of what to entitle it, so I have put a poll up on my profile to see what you think I should call it. I would be very grateful if you went and quickly voted on it! Thanks! X =D**


	9. Promises and Lies

**Hi, thanks as ever for all your lovely reviews for the last chapter, I hope this one answers a few questions for you! X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own Doctor Who, put I do have a massive David Tennant poster! *squeals!***

**Chapter 9 – Promises and Lies**

* * *

The Doctor looked from Owen, to Tosh, to Jack and finally resting on Gwen. 'Would someone please care to explain why the hell I got dragged here against my will?' He asked, moving his gaze to Jack and turning it into a glare.

'Doctor...what's going on?' The woman asked worriedly, glancing at him.

Jack frowned. 'We'll explain why you're here as soon as you explain why the hell have you gone to so much trouble to hurt Rose and then just gone and got another companion?!'

'What?' The Doctor exclaimed, confusion clearly painting his face before a look of realisation finally settled. 'Oh, you mean Lexi?'

Jack smiled sarcastically. 'Yes, Doctor, I mean _Lexi_.' He replied, twisting his mouth around her name as if it were an unpleasant disease, and even Gwen had to admit to herself...it kind of did sound a bit of a girly name, more like a name you would give to a dog than a girl.

'She's not my companion!' The Doctor insisted, running a hand through his hair while his brain ran at one hundred miles an hour. Why was Rose here? What was she doing here? How had she got here? And was he going to do now? Because he wasn't sure if he could resist...resist apologising and asking for her to travel with him again...not sure if he could resist ruining her chances of a long, happy life.

'I was just travelling on my own and then the TARDIS landed on a spaceship belonging to the Pacivatus, they'd kidnapped Lexi here...so obviously, I spent a good few hours running away from them and their stupid guns, I finally managed to persuade them she wasn't trying to absorb the DNA from one of their ancestors skeletons and I was just taking her home when you so rudely took control of the TARDIS.'

Jack's eyes narrowed at The Doctor. 'And why did they think she was trying to do that?'

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, but Lexi answered Jack's question. 'I thought the skeleton was an ancient type of jawless vertebrate...I work for the Zoology museum here in Cardiff and was digging it up when I found myself transported to the spaceship, The Doctor here saved me.'

Jack's eyes went back to normal as his mouth formed a small 'o' shape. 'Oh...I see, well, I think you should be getting gone, Lexi. Torchwood's no place for a Zoology graduate, and we've got bigger fish to fry.'

Lexi nodded and made to leave, but The Doctor threw out his arm to stop her. 'Hold on, why are we here, Jack? She might be able to help. And more to the point...why the hell is Rose here?'

Jack bit his lip and didn't answer, instead turning to Gwen and Owen. 'Gwen, do you mind going to see where Rose is? And Owen, can you please take Lexi and get her a coffee or something...this is going to be a long story.'

Owen nodded and gladly went over, leading Lexi away with a hand on her back, a warm smile on his face as he pretended to know something about Zoology. Gwen however, was harder to persuade.

'Why me, Jack?' She asked, her eyes hard. 'What is she to me? I don't even really know who she is.'

Jack sighed. 'Please, Gwen. Just go find her.' Jack implored, looking at her with regretful eyes.

Gwen scowled. 'Fine, I'll go find her.' She said before breezing outside into the night.

* * *

She could see Rose, sat on a bench by the bay side, the light from a nearby streetlamp flooding down onto her and making her face glow a strange orange colour, reflecting off the tear tracks down her cheek.

'Jack sent me to come find you.' Gwen said emotionlessly, standing in front of her.

Rose looked up at Gwen. 'Oh...well tell him I'm going home, I'm leaving. He'll have to deal with the Nestene Consciousness on his own, he's got The Doctor and...And that...that _girl_. You don't need me...' Rose said, her voice bitter. 'No-one needs me.' She added quietly.

Rose's words made Gwen frown, maybe there was more to this Rose girl than she had originally thought...maybe she wasn't just some old flame of Jack's, maybe she was grieving over some other lost love. And suddenly, it clicked into place. She really was just Jack's friend...but she had been hurt, just like herself.

Gwen sighed and sat down on the damp bench, ignoring the cold seeping through her dark blue jeans. 'You love him, don't you? The Doctor.'

Rose looked at Gwen in mild surprise. 'How do you-'

'You didn't talk much when you arrived, you seemed to be distant most of the time...when you mentioned the 'friend' you used to travel with, your voice went all sad, then just now...you tried hard to look like you didn't care, but then Lexi came out and you seemed to kind of break...'

'Lexi?'

Gwen nodded. 'Apparently she got kidnapped by some alien race called the Pacivacus because she works for the Zoology museum and was digging up some skeleton or other. It turned out to be the bones of one of their ancestors and they thought she was trying to consume their DNA or something like that. The Doctor was just taking her home.'

Rose frowned. 'The woman...she...Lexi, she isn't travelling with him?'

She shook her head. 'No, she's not...and if you want my opinion, Owen already seems to have taken a fancy to her...you should have heard him, pretending to know about Zoology. He's probably in there trying to chat her up as we speak.'

Gwen's words had their intended effect and Rose let out a small chuckle. 'But still, Gwen...he won't want me back, he'll help us but make sure he ignores me and then he'll take off without a backward glance. I know him, Gwen. I know what he's like. And that's why I have to go, before he hurts me again.'

Gwen sighed and reached out a hand, putting it on Rose's shoulder. 'Rose, you can't run away now. I think you should help us with the Nestene Consciousness, and then if you want, you can go home. Please?'

Rose shook her head dismally. 'No, I'm sorry but I've got to go...I can't...can't go back in there and see him, he left me Gwen...he decided it was too dangerous and that he wanted me to have a long life. He didn't think I could look after myself, basically.'

'I'm sure he doesn't think that, Rose. Listen, I know what it's like to feel as though you were just something to pass the time, like you didn't really matter.'

'I didn't matter to him.' Rose insisted, cutting above what Gwen was saying. 'I didn't matter to him, Gwen. Or he wouldn't have just left me like that, would he?'

Gwen sighed and smiled sadly. 'I don't know, Rose, because I don't know him. But I know that you feel used, like you gave everything to him and he took you, chewed you up until you were unrecognisable, then spat you back out.' She said, reflecting her own feelings in her words.

Rose nodded. 'That's exactly how I feel...like everything he said was a lie...every promise he made, he never meant to keep it. He promised me forever...he promised he'd look after me. I guess he got tired of me, that's why he really left me. Not because he wanted me to have a long life, but because he was tired of looking after me.'

* * *

'I can't tell you why he left you, Rose, because I don't know what he's thinking...but please, just come back inside with me and we'll see what happens, yeah?'

Rose sighed and got up. 'Ok...but as soon as he's gone and left me again, I'm going somewhere else...far away, where I can get away from it all, America maybe.'

'Well, we'll see.' Gwen replied, getting up too and walking alongside Rose back to the hub, trying to organise the jumbled array of thoughts cluttering her tired, overcrowded mind.

Of all the things Rose had said...two things stood out for Gwen.

'_Everything he said was lie...' 'Every promise he made, he never meant to keep it...'_

It was true, Jack had lied to her...he'd told her he cared about her, that he needed her, but he didn't. Not really. He was just bored and decided to have a little fun, he hadn't thought about the consequences. He'd promised he'd look after her, that he would make sure she was happy. Well, she didn't know how she felt now, but she certainly wasn't happy, neither did she feel looked after. Jack had betrayed her. Used her and betrayed her. And she was foolish for ever believing a word he said to her.

America...maybe that would be good, she could get away from Jack and from Torchwood, then perhaps she could bring her baby up in a safe environment, where it would never know who its father was. So, if Rose did indeed go to America, or anywhere far from here...maybe Gwen would ask to go too.

* * *

**Just to say, I actually have nothing against the name Lexi, I think it's quite a nice name. I said the bit about giving the name to a dog because one of my readers and friends (you know who you are hun) has a dog called Lexi. Please review! X =D**


	10. Tension

**Hey, thanks as always for your reviews, here's the next chapter. Also, I have now started my Twilight/Torchwood crossover story, please; please take a look at it. It's quite different to the other Twilight/Torchwood stories out there so please go look, it's called Condemned Immortality. Thanks and hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise. **

**Chapter 10 – Tension**

* * *

'Jack, we've got a trace!' Tosh shouted over the hub to where Jack was standing, adjusting the teleport device around his wrist.

'Oh, good. Rose, I want you to get the guns from the store, ok?' Jack ordered, jogging over to peer at Tosh's computer screen.

Rose, who had just come back in and had been able to avoid The Doctor nodded and turned to go, before a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned slowly around for her eyes to collide with The Doctor's deep brown, vibrant ones.

'Rose, you know we don't need those.' He told her levelly, not breaking eye contact while his hand still remained on her shoulder. 'We don't need guns, they're pointless and dangerous. You know that.'

Rose stared at him for a second, her eyes hard. 'No, Doctor. I don't know that.' She told him simply, shrugging out of his hold and turning away again.

'Rose!' The Doctor exclaimed, grabbing her wrist before she could slip away again.

'What?' Rose demanded, glaring at him while his fingers began to cut into her wrist.

'We don't need guns.' The Doctor repeated through gritted teeth. 'What's happened to you? You used to say the same thing as me – that guns don't solve anything, there's a better way to sort this out. What's happened?'

Rose looked at him in cold silence again, and when the words finally came, they were cutting and harsh. '_You_ happened. That's what.' With that, she roughly pulled her wrist away from him and stormed off to the underground store of weaponry and machinery below the main hub while The Doctor watched her go in agony.

* * *

She wasn't his Rose anymore...she didn't want to believe the same things as him, or do the same things...she had morphed into one of them over just a few days, had become hard and cold, using guns, threats and violence to resolve problems with resistant aliens. His Rose Tyler was fading away from him, slipping from between his fingers and leaving an icy chill behind. All he could remember was her hard, cold glare. And it was all his fault.

She shouldn't have left her, shouldn't have tried to protect her from the universe...not her. He should have known that she wouldn't stop, that she'd never give up on the life she had loved. He should have foreseen that she would come here, to Cardiff to work for Torchwood; it was the closest she could get. And it was all his fault.

But The Doctor's mourning was interrupted by Jack's shout across from where he was looking at a red dot, slowly moving towards the harbour. 'Doc! We need you over here!'

The Doctor moved his gaze from the door Rose had just disappeared through and turned to where Jack was standing, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair somewhat wearily. 'Coming.'

'It looks like they're headed for under the hub, there's a series of government built passages under here, they were there when we arrived.' Jack told him, pointing to a maze of tunnels situated directly below where they were stood.

The Doctor nodded mutely, gently removing Tosh's hand from the keyboard and tapping away furiously himself. After various things appeared on the screen, flashing up and disappearing again, The Doctor leaned back. 'Is there any way to get down to the centre of this maze of tunnels from here?'

Jack frowned. 'Yeah, we found some stairs ages ago, had a lock on it mind but we cracked that. Why?'

'We're gonna need to go down there.' The Doctor told him grimly. 'I've got the anti-plastic; all we need to do is give them a second chance, if not. Dead.'

'Hold on – I thought this is what you did last time, but they've come back. So how's this going to be any better?' Tosh cut in, also frowning at The Doctor.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and his mouth parted a little way into a smile. 'I've got better anti-plastic this time.' He said, pulling a small vial from his pocket. 'It's anti-anti-plastic. It works!' He exclaimed brightly, twiddling the vial between his fingers.

'When did you get that?' Jack asked, glancing at the TARDIS. 'I thought you have to make it.'

The Doctor shrugged nonchalantly. 'I keep a back-up store, just had to nip in there and grab it while you were all busy with your guns and equipment.'

At that moment, Rose appeared, throwing heavy guns each to Tosh and Jack, holding onto one and putting the strap over her shoulder. 'Ready.' She said simply, ignoring The Doctor's disappointed gaze.

'Oh...' The Doctor said sadly with a small shake of the head. 'That really doesn't suit you.'

* * *

You could feel the tension in the air, stirring in the few metres that stood between Rose and The Doctor. It was like a tightrope, pull it too hard and it was going to break, and The Doctor's words broke it. Snapped it like a stick over the knee and it was like a metaphorical whiplash cracked through the air. And at the same time...Rose snapped.

'Doesn't _suit _me?!' She shouted, taking a step towards The Doctor, her hands still gripping the gun. 'Well come on then 'Mr High and Mighty, _you_ tell me what's right for me!'

Rose took a deep breath, glaring at The Doctor with furious eyes.

'Come on then! If you're so _clever_, Doctor, then tell me what's right for me! Go on – control me, tell me what to do, just like you did with all the others! Just bloody take me everywhere and pretend to know me and trust me, then when you get bored of looking after me – the fragile, _stupid_ human, you can just _toss_ me aside like yesterday's rubbish!' All this she yelled at his face, getting angrier and angrier as he didn't respond, he just stared at her blankly.

Eventually, the anger washed away, flooded away from Rose and left her standing there, with nothing but shock and hurt for a replacement. The Doctor still just stared as small tears began rolling down her cheeks as looked back at him, blame clearly displayed in her saddened eyes.

The Doctor just stared at her. At _his_ Rose. Rose Tyler – the most brilliant woman in the universe.

But she didn't think that...he hadn't made that clear enough. She thought he'd got tired of her, got bored of her and just thrown her away. She thought he'd been pretending, she thought he'd lied to her. She'd thought he thought she was stupid. She thought....

She thought he didn't love her.

And as he looked at her, the accusation in her eyes coursing through him like fire, her blonde hair a mess from shouting at him, her cheeks still slightly red from her rage. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hold her tight, to promise her he would never hurt her again, kiss those soft lips like he'd always wanted to and tell him what he really felt.

'No...' He whispered, shaking his head as if he couldn't really believe what she had said. 'I don't think any of those things at all...I never meant to hurt you, Rose.' He took a gentle step towards her, her hard eyes still glaring at him.

He slowly reached out a hand once he was stood in front of her and placed it on the side of her face, feeling her warm skin under his rough hands.

'I'm sorry.' He whispered, a small tear slipping from his right eye and winding its way down his face as he stared at the woman he had broken with his own bare hands.

* * *

**Please, please don't murder me for leaving it there! Just review and maybe I'll update faster, tee hee. And also - I would really like it if you checked out my Torchwood/Twilight fic! 'Condemned Immortality.' Thanks for reading. X =D**


	11. Confessions of a Timelord

**Hi, thanks as ever for all your reviews and to those of you who checked out Condemned Immortality because I know it looks a bit of a depressing story at the moment but I hope you'll give it a chance! Hope you enjoy this chapter and please review! X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise.**

**Chapter 11 – Confessions of a Timelord**

* * *

Rose stared back at him. His glistening eyes, his tortured expression, the hard set of his lips and the rough skin of his hands beneath the soft skin of her cheek. Sorry? How could he be sorry...what could he be sorry for? How on earth could he know how she felt...how could he care? He was just the great pretender and she was just another victim...Right?

'I'm so, so sorry.' He said again, his thumb tracing over her cheek. 'I never knew that you thought...' He shook his head disbelievingly, ensuring his gaze remained locked with hers and neither of them had blinked in the last few seconds.

'I didn't mean to hurt you, Rose and I most certainly didn't mean for you to think I didn't want you anymore.' He told her, dropping his hand. You could have heard a pin-drop in the Torchwood hub at that moment, Tosh, Jack and Gwen were just watching in silence – Jack praying that forgiveness would out.

'Then why did you make me go, then?' Rose asked quietly, another tear slipping from her wide brown eyes as she reached up to brush it away.

'I thought...I thought that...' The Doctor trailed off. 'I thought that I didn't want you to die for me, I didn't want you to travel with me if it meant you living a shorter life. The idea of you dying kills me, Rose...but dying because of me? The thought's incomprehensible and I knew I had to do something about it.' He sighed softly, thinking of what a mess he had made – all in a failed attempt to keep her safe. 'I'm sorry.'

Rose frowned, stepping towards him. 'You...you really were just trying to keep me safe? You didn't just lie to me as a way of getting rid of me because you got fed up of me?'

The Doctor shook his head insistently, smiling a little. 'Now why on earth would you think that, Rose? Of course I didn't. I never lied to you and I'd _never_ get fed up of you. Why would you think that I didn't want you? It killed me to make you go, Rose.'

Rose shrugged, looking dubiously at the floor. 'I dunno...I thought that because I'm just a stupid, dumb human. I don't know anything, I'm just some random London girl from a council estate who happened to meet you...I ain't anything special, Doctor. I thought that you'd just got bored of me.'

The Doctor's mouth fell open and without thinking he took a step forward, grabbing her face in both hands and jerking it upwards, forcing her to look at him.

'Rose, don't you ever say things like that. Have you any idea of how important you are to me? Listen, you Rose Tyler are the most brilliant woman in the universe and I am the stupidest Timelord in the universe to have made you leave me – whether I was trying to protect you or not.' He told her stubbornly, desperately willing her to understand and believe what he was saying.

Rose's eyes widened and she blinked, a tiny tear dropping from the end of her long lashes and splashing onto her cheek as she let out a small broken chuckle. 'You're the _only_ Timelord in the Universe, therefore the stupidest.' She replied, smiling though her eyes were still moist.

The Doctor nodded and smiled too, Rose looking at him and realising just how much she missed that wide, gleaming grin of his. 'Can I ask you a question, Doctor?'

'You can have anything, Rose.' He told her, still cradling her face in his hands with sincere eyes.

'In the Satan's Pit...when you were about to drop and you asked Ida to tell me...what? You said I knew but I don't, what did you want her to tell me?' She asked, hoping that the gap she had felt ever since then might finally be filled. She had wracked her brains for days trying to work out what he meant, but she had come up with nothing. Well – nothing plausible. Unless...

* * *

'Rose, I didn't say it because I thought you knew...but you obviously don't. But I'm not going to say it now, because you do know now. You must know.' He replied, moving his forefinger to gently trace over her lips as if there was no-one else watching them. As if the Nestene Consciousness weren't planning on taking over the world in a few hours.

'Wh..?' But Rose's question was cut off short as The Doctor leant forward and softly pressed his lips to hers.

Rose gasped against his mouth and responded quickly, wrapping both arms around his neck and pressing herself to him in need of the closeness she'd craved for so long. The Doctor's hand's slipped down to her shoulders as his tongue flickered out to brush her lower lip like a caress before she parted her lips slightly and allowed him in, their mouths moving in sync as if they were made for each other. She felt happiness implode inside her and all her previous doubts about herself melting away along with her insides while his hands moved to the small of her back, pulling her closer and bending over her slightly. It was just...the perfect first kiss.

They didn't know how much time had passed; it seemed like a year but at the same time, not long enough. But eventually they pulled away, remaining in each other's arms as they stared at each other, sharing a dozy, lovesick smile.

* * *

**I know that was short but I hope you liked it all the same! More will come soon! X =D**


	12. Goodbye

**Hey, sorry for the delay on this chapter, my life has been extremely hectic lately due to the mad run up to Christmas. I love Christmas, don't get me wrong but god, all the preparing!!! Tee hee, thanks for all your reviews and hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**Also, for those of you that read the reviews, you may have noticed an anonymous reviewer called 'SmooGirl', that's my friend and she's finally got an account under the same name! Please go check it out as she's started a brilliant alternate Doomsday story! The link to her profile is on my profile, I would insert a direct link to the story but it's just not letting me. Go look as soon as you've read this, you won't regret it!**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise.**

**Chapter 12 – Goodbye**

* * *

The sound of Jack clapping and telling The Doctor he was 'glad he finally got a move on with Rose' was distant in Gwen's mind, all she could do was stand there, fixed to the spot. She could do nothing but stand there and simply stare.

The Doctor's hand was tightly intertwined with Rose's and they were both beaming as though they'd just seen the sun for the first time. Gwen knew she should be happy for Rose, she knew that she should go up and so the same as Jack and Tosh, smile and say 'thank God for that' just as they were. But she just couldn't.

Because in the reverse of the popular saying, every silver lining has its cloud. And this was the reality of her grey, stormy cloud. Loneliness. Rhys had left her, refused to talk to her on the phone even and Jack had never wanted her in the first place. She was alone and pregnant, carrying the result of a stupid one night stand with a man she should have known would never want her.

The feeling of complete and utter exile overwhelmed her again as she stood there, staring blankly at the air between her and the gleaming blurs of happiness in her peripheral vision. When Rose had come, though Gwen had begrudged her at first, she had found another lost soul. Someone she could maybe talk to, and she'd only realised that about an hour before outside. But she was gone now, Rose had her happiness back and she was left alone with her harsh reality. There was no time travelling prince charming waiting for her the same way as there was for Rose.

Gwen's lips tightened and her eyes grew hard as she tried to push back the ugly green monster from rearing its head inside of her. She wasn't jealous of Rose because she wanted the Doctor, but she was jealous because Rose had what she did not. Security, love and friendship. She had no-one. She'd drifted away from all her friends while she worked at Torchwood, becoming obsessed with her job and forgetting about them, pushing them aside. She had barely spoken to Rhys much, and then when Jack had told him about that night...the remaining ties between them had snapped in half.

She remembered Susie telling her that Torchwood ate away at your life, that it consumed you and drove you to the edge until you ended up dying to save something or other...well Gwen knew in that moment that she was nearing her edge, she had nothing left but her job – yet even that was a love/hate relationship.

* * *

'Gwen? Gwen?...Gwen!' Jack shouted, placing a hand on her shoulder while looking into her unfocused eyes. 'Gwen, answer me!'

'What?' She snapped, roughly pulling her shoulder away from under his grip and looking away again.

'What's up, Gwen?' Jack asked, glancing to where Tosh was running through plans with The Doctor and Rose, who were still holding hands as if their life depended on it.

Gwen turned her head to look back at him. 'I think I've reached my edge, Jack.' She told him solemnly.

Jack frowned. 'What the hell are you talking about?'

'My edge.' Gwen stated, an ironic smile crossing her face before disappearing again. 'Torchwood – it's eaten away at my life until I have nothing left, and I think I'm reaching my limit. I can't do this anymore.'

Jack's eyes widened and suddenly his chest felt like it was constricting, like he couldn't breathe properly and the sensation of someone twisting a knife around his lungs made his jaw stiffen. 'You...you want to leave?'

Gwen nodded, breaking eye contact with him. 'I'm leaving, Jack, I can't do this. Rhys doesn't want me, I haven't talked to my friends in months...you don't want me; everyone else can get by without me. I don't want Torchwood to rule my life anymore. I don't want _my_ baby growing up with a stupid and slightly obsessive mother.' She told him firmly, emphasising the part about the baby being hers and not his.

* * *

Jack felt like he wanted to panic, like he wanted to shove her in his office and order her to stay, to lock her up and make sure she never left, as if he wanted to shout out every reason why he wanted her to stay. But he wouldn't. He'd let her go, just like that. He could see that he'd ruined her, and yes, that baby was hers, because he didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve any part of her. And he would let her go.

Very quietly – so quietly that she hardly heard him he simple said 'ok, go.'

Gwen bit her lip slightly and nodded. 'I'm gonna go somewhere, get out of Wales, not sure where. Don't try and ring me.'

Again, the feeling of suffocation gripped him and the pain of that metaphorical knife dug even deeper but he clenched his fists and endured it. He had to let her go if that was what she wanted and what she felt was best. He wouldn't hold her back or tell her what to do ever again. So, not trusting himself to talk, he just nodded.

Gwen sighed and turned away, picking up her bag and slowly making her way out. Just as she neared the door she turned slightly to see Jack still stood in the exact same spot, still staring at her.

'And Jack?'

'Yes?' A small whisper escaped him, burning his throat while his mind screamed at himself that he should not be letting her do this. He shouldn't let he go – he didn't want to.

'I'm not coming back.'

Her four words just gave that knife an extra push before it drove deep into his heart and twisted around, neatly cutting it in half while the pain of its actions coursed through his veins. Somehow, he ordered himself not to blink, to stare at her face in that one split second before she turned around again and memorise every little detail of her.

Her dark brown hair and the way it flicked slightly at her shoulders, the little gap in her teeth, how damn good she looked in that leather jacket, her deep chocolate eyes, small lines beneath her eyes, slightly chapped lips...she was probably just pretty, but to him she was beautiful and she always would be.

She'd be beautiful even in fifty years time when he still looked the same and she lay in a hospital bed, unable to do anything about the fact that the man she had hated was sat looking at her as if she was only twenty seven again. Because though she wasn't coming back, he would still try to find her. Once she was too old enough to completely remember or protest, he would find her...because he knew from the moment she had joined Torchwood....he wouldn't be able to stay away.

'Goodbye.' She said softly before she turned and was gone, leaving a vacant hole in his chest.

'Goodbye.' He whispered to himself, allowing a small tear to wind down his face.

* * *

**Sorry, I know its angsty and a bit plot less again, I promise there will be more plot next chapter. Please review and once you've done that, go to my profile and click on the link for SmooGirl's profile and read her story - it's amazing. X =D**


	13. On The Edge

**Hey, here's the next chapter, please enjoy it and give me a lovely Christmas present – review!**

**Disclaimer – I own Doctor Who! I am awesome! (Little people in mind wearing santa hats shake their heads and tell me off profusely.) Ok fine, I don't own Doctor Who.....but I am awesome, right? (little people in mind wearing Santa hats shrug and admit that I am a little awesome, but that means they're awesome too because they're in my mind) Damn the little people in my mind that wear Santa hats!**

**Chapter 13 – On The Edge**

* * *

Gwen hurried away from the water tower down a small, darkened alleyway and she didn't look back. The ghostly echo of Jack's pained goodbye still resounded around her memory, haunting her every step as she pushed on...away from Torchwood, away from the broken pieces of her life...away from Jack.

Suddenly, her handbag slipped off her shoulder and fell to the floor. Gwen looked down at the black bag and the purse, pen and lipstick that had spilt out onto the cold concrete floor. She sighed and pushed her hair back, inwardly swearing and asking the God's why every little detail of her life had to go wrong, as well as all the major things like relationships, work and friends.

She crouched down and gathered up her possessions, shoving them back into her bag viciously as she bit back the tears that were dangerously threatening to fall. Gwen then straightened up and put the bag back on her shoulder, glancing around the empty alley.

It was only now that she realised it was quiet...too quiet. Ignoring the shivers that ran up her back, and the secret longing she had to run back to Torchwood and wrap herself in Jack's arms, where she knew (deep down) there was comfort, Gwen carried on walking. She glanced nervously at the dark shadows and wished her feet didn't make so much noise, there was something about the chilly evening that didn't seem quite right...

* * *

Just as she was nearing the end of the alleyway and the main road was in sight... the fates once again decided to cruelly intervene in Gwen's life.

Suddenly, a cold rubbery arm wrapped itself around Gwen's torso from that back and she felt herself being dragged to one side, towards another alley branching of the one she was in...She screamed only to feel a hand clamp over her mouth as the weird yet familiar feeling of teleporting overtook her sense.

It was weird though...the arms around her waist and hand covering her mouth were not human flesh, it wasn't soft or warm...it was plastic and sticky, rubbing against her skin and making it burn. It was living plastic...The Nestene Consciousness.

* * *

They finally reappeared somewhere Gwen didn't recognise, it was dark and musty here and the strong scent of damp infiltrated her nostrils as her feet dragged along the mossy floor, her eyes darting around to see the low concrete ceiling, dripping with water in parts.

'Where is Jack Harkness?'

The voice was much like its owner, rubbery and robotic. Gwen looked up from where she had been carelessly flung to the floor to see an all too familiar face.

'Rhys?' She breathed, staring wide eyed at her ex-boyfriend. 'Oh my God, Rhys.' Gwen hurriedly scrambled to her feet, rushing forward and reaching out a hand to touch his shiny, plastic face.

'Get away, I am not Rhys. He is gone.' He replied, pushing her back.

Gwen staggered backwards, still unable to tear her eyes away from the dreadful sight before her. Rhys...gone.

In that moment, Gwen was filled with nothing but rage, pure hatred coursed through her veins and pulsed under her skin, the anger boiling in her blood and preparing to burst forth. But it never did. Because there was no-one to direct it at. Because all the rage, hatred and anger she felt was for herself.

Rage at herself for ever letting Rhys go and not protecting him from the evils she knew existed. Hatred at herself for allowing Torchwood to not control this problem, for Torchwood putting him in danger.

And anger, because though she desperately wanted to feel like she had just lost someone she dearly loved...she couldn't. Because she just felt like she'd lost a good friend, not a lover. Because she didn't love Rhys.

And there – right there, Gwen hit her edge and plunged straight off of it – head first.

'You want Jack Harkness? Well you're going to have to kill me before I ever let you know.'

* * *

'Right, Jack, we're all ready to go, the door to the underground tunnels is unlocked, we've got a trace on the Nestene Consciousness, we've got all the weapons we need, we've got the anti-plastic, all we need to do is see where the hell Owen and Lexi have got to, they only went in there for a coffee.....' Tosh trailed off when Jack didn't even respond to that last part, he was just stood there, staring into space.

'Jack?' Rose asked, stepping towards him. 'What's wrong?'

The Doctor hung back and cast a quick glance around the hub, quickly noticing a rather large absence. 'Jack, where's Gwen?'

Jack slowly focused his eyes on The Doctor grimly. 'She's gone.' He said blankly, his voice emotionless. 'She's gone, completely gone. She's just gone.'

'What do you mean gone?' The Doctor asked, panicking for a moment.

'She went, she's leaving Torchwood.'

The Doctor bit his lip as Tosh gasped and he reached out for Rose's hand. 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.'

Jack looked down at the floor for a moment before once again looking up. 'Don't be. Come on, we've got a job to do, let's go get Owen and Lexi.' He replyed, his voice still blank.

With that they all headed off to see just what the heck Owen and Lexi were taking so long about.

* * *

Gwen stared defiantly at the plastic-Rhys, breathing heavily and waiting for death to come. This was it, this was her edge. She would have never, ever have thought that _he_ would be the reason for this, that she would die protecting _him_. Yet here she was, dying to protect the man who against all odds and forgetting foolishness, she loved.

She was dying to protect Captain Jack Harkness.

'You would die in order not to reveal his whereabouts?' The plastic thing argued, as Gwen had begun to think of it in her head.

She nodded, hating herself for her actions. She shouldn't be doing this; she should be running as far away from this as possible. But she couldn't, her feet were frozen like ice to the damp floor and she knew she didn't have the courage to run. She was on the edge, and there was no turning back. She couldn't even run to save her baby's life..._Jack's_ baby.

'Very well.' He said robotically, an evil grin that didn't suit the face appearing as he stepped forward. 'You will die...but we will still find him and he will give us the rift manipulator and then...' He paused.

'We will feast.' He snarled finally, his hand dropping off to reveal two gun like holes and raising his arm towards Gwen.

The last sound in that damp, murky tunnel beneath the Torchwood hub was Gwen's tortured, agonized scream of the one name she didn't want to utter. But in spite of herself, it was the only thing she could bring herself to scream as she faced death. The word?

Jack.

And with that, Gwen well and truly fell off the edge.

* * *

**I hope it's not too short, there will be more as soon as I can update. Hope you liked it and please review! X =D**


	14. Time To Go

**Thanks for your reviews last chapter, here's the next one – hope you like it and please review! X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise.**

**Chapter 14 – Time to Go**

* * *

Just as the others disappeared in search of Owen and Lexi, Rose grabbed The Doctor's hand and pulled him back around the corner. The Doctor spun to face her, confused.

'What's wrong?' He asked, looking at her, his hand still in hers.

Rose looked back at him, her eyes serious. 'Doctor...I want you to promise me something.'

'Whatever you want.' He replied, wondering what had brought this on. She looked so...worried.

Rose bit her lip and stepped towards him, tilting her head slightly to look up at him. 'After all this...you're not going to leave me again, are you?' She managed to keep her voice reasonably even, but The Doctor knew her, and he could hear the small trace of fear hiding behind the question.

He shouldn't let her come with him again...she'd die. Just like everyone else did eventually...and it would be his fault. He couldn't live with that, not in a thousand years, not in a billion. But then, there was the other option. She stayed behind and never saw him again, like he'd never existed. She went on with her human life, the way it should have been and he left her well alone.

The Doctor knew that both options left him between a rock and a hard place. But he also knew the option he couldn't live without.

'No...I'm not.' He finally answered quietly.

'You don't sound very convinced.' Rose replied, frowning.

The Doctor sighed and lifted a hand to Rose face, absentmindedly tracing patterns on her hairline and jaw. 'You don't know how precious you are to me, Rose...if something happened...you were _meant_ to have a normal, human life.'

Rose shook her head. 'No, Doctor...I was meant to be with you. Me going into that room with the plastic things, you ending up saving me again at my flat, you turning up whenever I needed you...you coming here to Torchwood – where I was. All that stuff, Doctor...I don't call that coincidence and I know you don't believe in it but I call it fate.'

'I never could argue with you.' The Doctor said with a hint of a smile.

'Nope.' She agreed, crossing her arms and grinning. 'It'll be alright, you know.' She assured him softly when his smile didn't grow. 'It's better than living without you.'

The Doctor nodded and squeezed her hand. 'I know.' He whispered, sealing his own fate. He didn't care anymore, it was wrong and it was selfish and it was foolish to let her have her way...but he couldn't live without her. She had to come with him again, and maybe she was right – perhaps they were supposed to be together.

* * *

Suddenly, Rose started laughing. Really laughing. Like hysterical laughing.

'What's so funny?' He asked, frowning at her.

Rose looked at him. 'God...my Mum is going to slap you _so_ hard.'

The Doctor's eyes widened and he took an almost fearful step backwards. 'Jackie?' He uttered the name as though it were a curse, as if it were some kind of evil force of nature coming for him. To him – it probably was.

Rose nodded, still laughing. 'Well I'm gonna have to tell her I'm going off with you again, and she is going to be so mad!' She said all this with some sort of unexplained delight while The Doctor stared in horror.

He groaned. 'Do we have to...we could just like, you know...disappear?' He suggested sheepishly.

Rose ceased laughing and grinned at him, going over and hugging him. 'It'll be ok...I'll pull her off, I promise.'

'You better.' The Doctor muttered, tilting her head up and pressing his lips to hers softly. 'I swear I still have the marks from the last time.'

Rose smiled and kissed him again quickly, safe in the knowledge that there would be plenty of time for that later – providing everything went to plan with the Nestene Consciousness.

* * *

She was backed up against a wall, her hands firmly on his backside as he seemed to attack her mouth with his tongue, her blonde hair getting messier and messier by the minute due to his constantly roaming hands.

'Owen Harper!' Jack shouted, making the two adults jump and turn around slowly, a blush to rival a raspberry rising on Lexi's face.

'Uh...um...sorry...' Owen mumbled, wiping his mouth and glancing at Lexi. 'We were, uh...'

'I could see what you were doing.' Jack replied, his mouth threatening to quirk into a smile. 'Now come on, we've got to get a move on. In case you haven't noticed, we have aliens who'd like to eat the entire earth to deal with and you two are getting it on.'

Tosh shook her head. 'Not a good time.' She joked.

'Right, right, I'm coming.' Owen said, taking a gun from Jack and smoothing down his rumpled shirt. 'Let's go.'

With that, they headed down some steps and down a darkened corridor to a door Torchwood had discovered some time ago. It lead down to the maze of passages beneath the hub...and the Nestene Consciousness. Rose and The Doctor slipped in behind them, holding hands while The Doctor used his free hand to hold the sonic screwdriver which was tracing the Nestene Consciousness' imprint all the way to the centre of the tunnels.

* * *

**A little short I know, but the next one should be longer. X =D**


	15. Bitter Echoes

**Hi, thanks to the people who reviewed last chapter! A special mention goes to Dinny93 who was the 100****th**** reviewer, thanks hun! Here's the next instalment, hope you like it and please review! X =D**

**Also, sorry about this, but a quick little plea. Me and BananaBabe903 have been writing a DrWho story together for a while now and we're actually a little dumbfounded at how little attention it's got. Don't get me wrong, we're not being babies and having a tantrum because not many people are reading it, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it if we say so ourselves. It's not unreadable, the plot isn't stupid or pointless - basically it's not a load of the stuff that makes a bad story a bad story. So I'm just putting a little request out for you to please take five minutes and go check it out, it would really mean a lot to us as we've worked hard on it. And if there are things that you spot that are wrong with it, feel free to tell us, we can take constructive criticism! Just please, take a look. It's on BananaBabe903's profile, who is on my favourite author list and it's called 'Here Come the Girls'. Thanks, X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own Doctor Who, if I did, I would be such a genius! I mean, hello – that special on New Year's Day was **_**amazing!**_

**Chapter 15 – Bitter Echoes**

* * *

It was silent party that made their way through the damp, darkened tunnels that ran beneath Cardiff Bay; they were close to water so it was no wonder that the grey ceiling was dripping in places and that occasionally, someone slipped a little on the slimy moss covering the ground in parts. It was obvious no-one had used these tunnels in a long time.

Jack, The Doctor and of course Rose were at the front, leading the way. Or more correctly – the sonic screwdriver was leading the way, its persistent bleeps signalling which direction. Behind them was Tosh, who thought it would be better to be in the middle than lagging behind Owen and Lexi who were holding hands and whispering things to each other as if they hadn't just met only a few hours ago and as if they weren't supposed to be concentrating on destroying a large alien threat.

Everyone but Owen and Lexi, who had seemed to have reduced themselves to giggling teenagers were slightly aware of an emptiness to their party – Gwen. Jack hoped she was safe, and that maybe she would have a good life.... he willed himself to be happy for her but he couldn't... he wanted her here, by his side. Where she was safe.

Rose and The Doctor however, were completely content. A little on edge maybe about the upcoming confrontation, but Rose couldn't help feel delighted at the feel of her hand in his, The Doctor's reassuring glances and the way his thumb would occasionally rub her hand affectionately. Every touch sent shivers down her spine and the passionate side of her just wanted to get him back into the TARDIS... but would he want... did he...or more to the point, _could_ he? She knew he was an alien and all...but everything still...._worked_ the same, right?

Rose blushed, embarrassed at even thinking about it, she should be concentrating on the Nestene Consciousness, not if The Doctor's...uh..._organs_ did the same as a human's.

* * *

'One more corner people and we're almost there, you know the plan.' Jack ordered quietly, slowly removing his gun as everyone nodded and followed suit, apart from The Doctor and Rose.

'We really don't need those.' The Doctor muttered as Rose squeezed his hand.

'Doctor, just let us deal with this the way we think works. We've said you can negotiate while we surround it, just to be on the safe side.' Jack replied in a hushed whisper, his teeth gritted.

The Doctor shrugged and sighed. 'Fine.' He conceded, still not completely happy with the arrangement. Still, he shouldn't look some help in the mouth, he might need it.

* * *

They rounded the corner and found themselves in a large round chamber, and they were not alone. For the second time in her life, Rose took in a large dip in the middle of the room like a bowl that was filled with a gooey orange substance that seemed to have a mouth. The Nestene Consciousness. This blob sat, pulsing slowly in the dip so The Doctor, Rose and the Torchwood team, plus Lexi were stood looking down on it. This circular living plastic _thing_ was surrounded by what you might call bodyguards, all of them stood stock still, the plastic of their faces shining in the light from the Consciousness.

'Ah, Jack Harkness.' The consciousness greeted, the blob shifting and moving in its hole. 'I see you brought along some friends...The Doctor among them, I gather.'

Tosh, Owen and Lexi moved to surround the blob, pointing their guns at it while they glanced nervously at the still motionless guards. Lexi looked especially worried, she hadn't exactly signed up for this. She was just trying to get back to the Zoology museum where she helped identify small skeletons in her free time from studying at the university. She didn't expect to be facing some alien blob in a hole with strange plastic men nearby.

'You're plan's not gonna work.' Jack told it, keeping his large gun trained on the orange mass. 'We're not letting you eat the earth.'

The blob seemed to move in some sort of self-satisfied way, if that was possible. 'Oh, really? Well, I have a little compromise for you...we're going to get the earth, either way.'

At this point, The Doctor stepped in. 'Ah, yeah, that's where I have my problem, you see.' He said casually, striding forward to stand at the edge of the hole, looking down at the Consciousness.

'This planet really is lovely, don't you think? All green grass and blue skies...daisies in the fields, then there's the countryside. You can't beat Earth's countryside, it's just so _green!_ You don't want to destroy all that!' He exclaimed, talking as if he were merely having a pleasant conversation, his hands in the pockets of his coat.

Rose nodded. Inside she was jumping for joy...she had her Doctor back. 'And the concrete buildings, Doctor...and the oil plants, the dirty power stations...' Rose nodded, joining in with The Doctor's charade. 'You can't destroy them...think about it, what about _John_ _and Edward_!'

'Who?' Jack asked with a frown.

Rose shrugged, a smile playing on her face as she fell back into the usual routine of distracting and confusing the hell out of their enemies before The Doctor pounced with his big plan – whatever that happened to be. 'John and Edward, they enter the X-Factor in the future, seriously, they're brilliant!' Rose explained, turning back to The Doctor.

The Doctor nodded. 'Yep! A little odd, maybe...definitely can't sing, which is a minor setback in a singing competition...but the _hair! _Jack, you should have seen it, it was _almost_ better than mine!' He exclaimed before turning back to the Consciousness with an air of having forgotten it was there. 'See, you definitely can't destroy the Earth, if only for their sake.' He reasoned, a smile tugging on his lips.

'Enough, Doctor!' The blob commanded angrily. 'I have had enough of your foolish games, we will eat the Earth...but it's your choice whether you die or not.'

'Oh here we go, the old, 'we'll save your life as long as you let us eat everything in history' ploy. I mean how downright _obvious _is that?! You know, I would have thought you'd have gone for a different approach, I get bored of the whole blackmail malarkey.' The Doctor complained, his face wearing a disgruntled expression while Jack bit back the need to laugh and Tosh, Owen and Lexi looked on as if he were mad.

'If you allow my soldiers access to the rift manipulator, we will spare your lives and let you escape in your little, pathetic blue box, Doctor...or, we can kill the girl, then kill you.' The Conscience continued, ignoring The Doctor's jibe.

'Hey! My blue box isn't pathetic! Or little, actually...it's bigger on the inside, I know, weird right? That's what everyone says; they all walk inside and go 'oh! It's bigger on the inside' and you know sometimes I just want to say 'get used it, build a bridge and get over it', you know? Anyway, my blue box isn't pathetic, I quite like my blue box, I'm quite attached to my blue...' The Doctor trailed off when Rose gave him a hard stare that just screamed 'over done it, Doctor.'

'Over kill?' He asked with a groan, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rose put her head on one side and nodded. 'Just a little bit, Doctor. Just a little bit.'

The Doctor sighed. 'Anyway, as I was saying, I'm quite bored of the whole blackmail thing; to be honest I'm getting _really_ tempted to just throw this Anti-plastic in. I want to take Rose to Barcelona and you're kind of holding me up. And by Barcelona, I mean the planet, with the nose-less dogs, not the city. Not that there's anything wrong with the city – I love the city! Did you know they have open-top bus tours now? Doesn't that sound like fun?!' He babbled, grinning and strutting around as if he owned the place.

'So long as it's not raining.' Rose mumbled to herself, smiling slightly.

* * *

Suddenly, The Doctor stopped, still grinning. 'Now, after all that you probably think I'm pretty stupid and haven't been listening to you at all, but actually, I'm very good at multi-tasking. And because I'm very good at multi-tasking, I remember you saying something about killing a girl.' By the end of his sentence, The Doctor's voice had progressed from joking to one of absolute seriousness.

'Now you better hope that girl isn't Gwen Cooper because I swear to God that if it is, you're getting no second chances.'

The Consciousness squirmed in its pit and the line that Rose had always assumed was its mouth seemed to smile smugly. 'Bring out the girl.' He commanded.

Lexi jumped when the bodyguard near to her moved and backed into a passageway, out of sight. 'Oh my God.' She whispered to herself, scared out of her wits. Tosh rolled her eyes and kept her hands firmly on her gun, whereas Lexi seemed to have relaxed hers out of fright.

'Lexi, keep that thing up!' She warned, looking annoyed at her.

Lexi glanced down at the gun and swallowed. 'Oh...right, yeah.' She muttered, bringing it up with slightly quaking hands.

Suddenly, Jack let out a cry. The tortured, anguished sound echoed around the stone chamber like a bitter song. 'Gwen!'

The Doctor, Rose, Tosh and Owen all turned their heads to where Jack was staring with wide eyes. Lexi however, kept her scared eyes fixed on the pulsing blob in front of her, too scared to turn her back.

Behind her, dragging a bleeding and beat around Gwen carelessly across the rough ground was a plastic version of a man Jack knew only too well. The last time they met, Rhys had punched him around the face before leaving Gwen. To be honest, Jack thought that perhaps he deserved that punch; he had after all slept with his girlfriend...

The side of Gwen's face had a deep gash in it, from which crimson blood was seeping onto her black jacket. There were bruises covering the other side of her face along with the odd scratch. She looked as though she could barely keep her eyes open.

'Gwen!' Jack shouted again, rushing forward and taking her from the plastic Rhys. He fell to the ground with his arms around her, frantically brushing her blood matted hair away from her battered face. 'Gwen, Gwen, Gwen...' He murmured as he attempted to wipe the mass of blood surrounding the deep cut on the left side of her face. 'I'm sorry...'

He kept his hands on Gwen's rapidly cooling face, staring at her. Yes – she was still beautiful. 'I promise it'll be alright, Gwen...you're gonna be alright, I promise. Come on, I need you...I'll keep you safe, I'll make sure no-one hurts you, I promise you. Everything's fine.' He whispered as her eyelids began to flutter closed and Jack realised that the wounds on her face perhaps weren't the only ones.

He was right, the pain in Gwen's shoulder beneath the jacket was beginning to hurt even more where the bullet had grazed her, the searing stinging was coursing through her body and though she could feel Jack's arms around her...it was a little hazy. One thing she could definitely hear however, was him. His words...his whispers. Did he even realise what he was saying?

They were just echoes of what he'd said that night...that night that had ruined everything, yet at the same time had been so perfect. It was the same promises he made, the same ones he broke. Just bitter echoes and broken promises. So why did she cling to those words as if they were what gave her that last will to live?

* * *

**Hope that was alright and please review and tell me what you thought! I'm afraid updates for my stories might be a little slower for the next two weeks as I haven't got the use of my laptop so am having to use Mum's computer, but don't worry, I'll still get chapters out. X =D**


	16. Bittersweet

**Hi, here's the next chapter. Enjoy and review! Also, again I'll ask, please check Here Come the Girls out! It won't let me insert this link on here for some reason! .Please, it won't take long and you'll enjoy it – I hope! There's a link on my profile which works - please take a look!**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise, which is basically everything but there you go, that's life!**

**Chapter 16 – Bittersweet**

* * *

Rose, Owen, The Doctor and Tosh all stared in shocked silence at the bleeding woman cradled in Jack's arms – Gwen. They couldn't believe or understand it, how had this happened? Gwen had been leaving...yet now she was dying there, on the floor.

Jack tore his eyes away from Gwen's face to glare at the Consciousness with hard, angry eyes. 'You won't get away with this, no chances.' He said, his voice becoming something of a snarl as he gently lay Gwen down and stood up, striding over to where The Doctor was standing.

'Give me it.' He ordered, holding his hand out expectantly.

The Doctor glanced at Gwen, then back to Jack, seeing the anger in his eyes – the need for revenge. 'She might be alright, Jack...think about this.' He replied, trying to reason with him. 'She might be alright.'

Jack shook his head, impatient. 'No – she's not going to be alright!' He almost shouted, his words coming from between gritted teeth. 'Give. Me. The. Anti-Plastic.'

The Doctor swallowed as his hand tightened around the tiny vial. 'I can't, Jack. I have to give it a chance.'

'You said no second chances!' He really did shout this time as the want to avenge the woman who lay dying grew and coursed through his veins, his lungs...his heart.

'I haven't even given a first one yet, just wait.' The Doctor insisted in a low, dangerous voice, gripping the vial ever tighter.

* * *

As The Doctor and Jack argued, the latter visibly growing angrier and more violent by the second, Lexi's nerve began to waver. Owen and Tosh weren't watching her anymore and she lowered the gun shakily, it felt alien in her hand anyway. This was too much, the Pacivicus she could handle – they'd been humanoid, but this? No, this strange, pulsing, talking, orange _blob_ was way beyond her capabilities. She'd never been one for Sci-fi anyway. Her eyes darted around furtively, looking for the passageway they'd come from, she quickly located an opening and just as The Doctor yelled for the last time, 'no!' She ran for it.

It all happened very fast then, so quickly that Owen was sure it had happened in slow motion, or else how had he registered it all? But what he saw, was this...

Lexi dashed for the passageway they'd come through, her gun clattering to the ground as she ran, a whirlwind of blonde hair and nervous eyes. Before he could stop her, or even call out – the plastic version of Rhys stepped forward, throwing out two arms and grabbing her wrists, pulling her to a halt.

'No, get off! Owen, help me!' Lexi shrieked as she kicked against the solid plastic. But it was too late...Owen couldn't move, neither could Tosh...or Rose, or The Doctor, or Jack. Because as fast as you could blink, he'd roughly clutched Lexi by the hair... and thrown her head first into the living orange blob that was his leader and creator...the Nestene Consciousness.

No-one dared to move, it was obvious now what would happen. They could only watch, horrified as the blob began to absorb Lexi, her echoing screams gradually fading out until there was nothing but silence. She was gone. She was dead.

The Doctor's mouth fell open as he stared at the spot where she had vanished, not able to believe it. She'd been at university...she'd only ended up here by mistake...and now she was dead. In those few seconds The Doctor took to be astonished, he had loosened his hold on the all important vial – and it was now in the dangerous, yet capable hands of Captain Jack Harkness.

'Jack, not yet!' Rose shouted out, still not daring to move. Jack, however, Jack dared. Rushing forward he uncorked the vial and with a triumphant yell, poured every last drop into the dip.

'Jack – we were supposed to give it another chance! That's just cold-blooded murder!' The Doctor bellowed, watching helplessly as the Consciousness shrivelled and died, the plastic bodyguards collapsing around them.

Jack spun and looked at The Doctor, still angry though he'd achieved his revenge. 'No! That!' He jabbed a finger in Gwen's direction. '_That_ is cold-blooded murder!'

'She's not dead!' Rose exclaimed, going to stand beside The Doctor and taking his hand.

'Not yet!' Jack retorted, tears threatening to spill over his enraged eyes. 'She'll die, Doctor...she'll die. She always said Torchwood would be her edge.' He added, quieter now as he turned back to Gwen, walking slowly over to her and caressing her face. 'Sorry, Gwen.' He murmured, his eyes looking sorrowfully at her still flat stomach.

He turned back to The Doctor, his eyes cold. 'I'm taking her back to the hub.' He informed everyone blankly, and in an instant – he'd teleported both himself and Gwen away.

* * *

The Doctor stared around the quiet chamber, Rose's warm hand still in his – reminding him there was some justice in the world. The pit was empty; the Consciousness had gone – along with Lexi's life. She hadn't deserved that, not at all. She was just innocent. Once again, The Doctor felt a familiar surge of guilt as he added another name to the list of people's death he'd been responsible for.

Owen was just sat back against the wall, staring into space blankly as he tried to figure out what to feel. They could have been good...he'd liked her...now what? Sometimes, there was no justice or goodness in the world whatsoever. And definitely no grace.

Tosh was sat next to him, a hand on his unresponsive arm. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't really liked Lexi, for obvious reasons...but how could she console him? She let out a long sigh, thinking of Gwen and praying desperately that she would live. But she'd looked so...lifeless, so cold. Tosh shook her head, not knowing what to think, what to say. Sometimes, like now...she just felt like a third wheel.

The Doctor meanwhile just let out a long, defeated breath and turned to Rose. 'It's always like this.' He said regretfully, his words somehow adding ten years to him. 'We win...but at a cost.'

Rose nodded dully, glancing at the empty pit...the bloodstains on the floor. 'Bittersweet.' She agreed softly, resting her head against his chest as she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of his double heart-beat.

The Doctor sighed and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him as if she was his lifeline. He knew he was lucky to have her, and he wasn't letting go. He leant forward and pressed his lips to her hair, inhaling the sweet smell he had come to identify as simply _Rose. _'C'mon, I think we should go back.' He whispered, turning to see Owen and Tosh stood up, ready to head back too.

Rose stepped away and nodded, brushing a tear from her face. 'Yeah...let's go.'

With one last, fleeting look around the empty, silent chamber The Doctor left, blinking back a large, fat tear just before it splashed onto his pained face.

* * *

**A little sad and dramatic there, sorry for that. Please review and tell me what you thought, also, there's only going to be about two more chapters for this story – just thought I'd inform you of that. Now, please review! X =D**


	17. Love

**Ok, thanks to those who reviewed but did my writing suddenly get really bad or something? I only got five last chapter. Sorry, I shouldn't complain...I just want to know what I'm doing wrong so that I can improve. Here's the penultimate chapter anyway, I've also started a new Doctor Who story called 'The Prophecy', if you'd like to take a look!**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise.**

**Chapter 17 – Love**

* * *

It was a dismal atmosphere back at the hub, it was pitch black night outside and Owen had gone home after muttering some excuse about getting stuck in traffic; it was eleven o'clock at night. The only sound was the _tap-tap-tap_ of a keyboard as the unpleasant job of covering up Lexi's death and fabricating evidence fell to Tosh.

The Doctor and Rose still hadn't seen Jack, nor did they know what state Gwen was in. Something told Rose she was still alive...but who knew? They were curled up on an old couch in Jack's office, Rose pressed against his side with an arm around his waist while both his were wrapped around her tightly. He wasn't letting go. Not ever.

Eventually, Rose gave into fatigue and her eyelids drooped to a close, her head falling sideways to rest on The Doctor's lap while he sat there, a hand in her soft hair – just looking at her. His Rose. He let out a gentle sigh and brushed a lock of hair back from where it had fallen across her face, allowing his fingers to linger on her temple, he smiled slightly. Some may have said he was stupid for leaving her, cruel, even. He did think that...but he also thought that maybe if he hadn't done that, they wouldn't be together. Not like this, anyway.

* * *

It was about two hours later and The Doctor's head lifted at the creak of a door, Jack's face peered around the doorframe. 'Can I come in?' He asked quietly, looking at Rose's sleeping form.

The Doctor nodded, glancing at Rose. 'Sure. How is she?'

Jack let out a sigh. 'Stable, just. I managed to stop the shoulder wound from bleeding and stitched it up. She's got a lot of internal bruising though; it seems they didn't exactly take care of her. She'll take a while to heal. She's under anaesthetic at the moment.' He told him, guilt laced through every uttered word.

'But she'll live?'

Jack nodded glumly. 'Yeah...and she'll hate me more than ever. I've lost her, Doctor.'

'Don't say that just yet, eh? I've learnt a lot in my time, and the main thing is...' He paused and looked down at Rose again, his fingers ghosting over her hairline. 'You never know what's going to happen, or what other people feel.'

Jack smiled sadly and shook his head. 'She hates me, Doctor. It was my fault all that happened, if I hadn't gone and got her pregnant...hell, if I hadn't even slept with her in the first place, none of this would have happened?!'

His exclamation was all it took for Rose to wake up. Groaning, she rolled over, thinking she was in bed. The Doctor quickly grabbed her upper arms to stop her falling off the sofa. 'Whoa.' She said softly, pulling her up so she was sat beside him.

Rose rubbed her eyes. 'How long was I asleep?' She asked, the question coming out a little mumbled.

'Not all that long.' The Doctor replied, his hand still holding hers. 'Hey, Gwen's gonna be alright, by the way.'

Rose smiled and looked at Jack. 'Well that's good.' But then she noticed Jack's passive expression. 'Isn't it?'

Jack nodded again. 'Of course it's good...'

'Rose, why don't you go get some tea. I'm sure you want some.' The Doctor said softly, looking at her.

Rose nodded and got up from the sofa. 'I'm going, I'm going. I know where I'm not wanted.' She said good naturedly, smiling at them both before slipping out the door.

* * *

The Doctor sighed and turned back to Jack. 'You say that...but do you really regret it?'

Jack nodded insistently. 'Yes. I do. It's just another kid who's going to think it doesn't have a Dad because everyone knows it'll start asking questions when Daddy doesn't get old and Mommy does. Not that she'd even let me anywhere near the child.'

The Doctor bit his lip, looking down. It was true. Was being with Rose really the best thing for her? Surely one day she'd want kids, and that just wasn't possible. Well...it was technically _possible_, but it wasn't. Not really. How do you explain that one day, the child's Mum has to leave because she's getting too old to travel the universe...and the child is too young for all that danger? You can't. There's no two ways about it.

But...they'd make it work, right? They'd always made it work, even when things looked impossible. The Doctor finally let out a long sigh. 'I don't know, Jack. No-one knows what someone else is thinking...'

'I love her, Doctor.' Jack admitted, looking up at him with serious eyes.

'I know.' Came The Doctor's quick response, his eyes flickering around the grey office. 'You really need to decorate in here, it's a bit boring, don't you think?' He added lightly.

Jack smiled and glanced around. 'Yeah, probably should.' He agreed with a small chuckle. 'I'm going to go see how she is, you're right. You never know what someone else is thinking.'

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and stood up. 'I'm always right, you know that.'

Jack chuckled. 'Not always, Doc. Bad style, for a start.' He told him, gesturing to his now crumpled brown coat.

The Doctor looked down at himself. 'Hey! I do not have bad style, I like this coat. It's..._unique._ Plus – bottomless pockets.' He retorted, frowning slightly as he gestured towards the pockets. 'Do end up losing a lot of stuff though....problem with bottomless pockets is you can't reach the bottom, so it's a little hard to reach anything...'

Jack laughed and opened the door. 'Fine, fine. It's unique, see you in a minute.'

The Doctor nodded, but before Jack could go he outstretched an arm. 'Oh, wait!'

Jack paused in the doorway. 'What?'

'Another thing I've learnt in my nine-hundred years.'

'What's that then?' Jack asked, looking at The Doctor's wise eyes.

He smiled. 'It's probably the most important thing I've learnt.'

'Don't judge a book by its cover?' Jack mocked, smiling.

The Doctor laughed. 'No.' He replied, his tone growing serious again. 'It's that...the people you love, the most important people to you – they never listen.'

Jack looked at him for a moment, then laughed. 'That's a true statement if I ever heard one. They never do listen to a damn thing you say.'

And with that, Jack was gone, gone to check on Gwen. The Doctor smiled to himself and exited the office too, in search of _his_ most important person. The one that didn't listen to him when he told her to forget him. The one that always wandered off when he told her not to. The one that always pressed a button when he expressly said she shouldn't, but by doing it, she somehow ended up saving the day after all. The one, who despite the slaps he was going to receive from her force of a mother....he loved. The one he loved. The one that never listened.

'Rose.'

Rose turned away from the kettle and smiled slightly at The Doctor. 'We can go home soon, right?' She asked, slipping her arms around his neck and pulling him close to her.

The Doctor nodded. 'Yeah, of course we can.' He replied, kissing her lips lightly. Because they both knew what home was. Home was the little blue box that was bigger on the inside. Home was travelling the stars. Home was...in each other's arms.

* * *

**A little fluffy, I know. But it is the end – I think I'm allowed fluff! There will be one more chapter, which will be an epilogue, though I'm not sure you can call it that as it's only set a few weeks later. But oh well! Please review! X =D**


	18. Epilogue:Forever is just Forever

**Hi, so here it is, the final instalment! I've changed my mind over the time setting, this is set six months after the end of the last chapter and yes, it will be mostly fluff!**

**Just want to say that I've got the prologue for my new Doctor Who story 'The Prophecy' up and the first chapter will be up a few days after this! Watch this space, tee hee! Hope you like the chapter and please leave me one last review! X =D**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything you recognise. **

**Epilogue: Forever is just....well, Forever**

* * *

Rose hugged Jack one last time and jogged the few feet over to the TARDIS where The Doctor was patiently waiting. It was growing dark in the small alleyway outside the Torchwood hub and the oncoming smell of summer hung in the mild air.

As Rose reached The Doctor, Gwen sighed happily and rested her head on Jack shoulder, bringing her right hand up to rest comfortingly over the smooth bump protruding from her torso. Jack glanced away from a waving Rose and Doctor to look at Gwen; he smiled at her glowing face and pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead before wrapping his arms around her and placing his chin on the top of her head. He hadn't noticed until a couple of months ago – but she was the perfect fit.

It was picture of almost surreal bliss that The Doctor closed the TARDIS door on, just before the little blue box materialised away. They had left the day after their confrontation with the Nestene Consciousness, right after they had been assured that Gwen was clear of any danger. After receiving the inevitable however many slaps from Jackie, The Doctor had whisked Rose away just as he promised – he'd taken her to Barcelona; the planet, not the city – of course.

A month later, they'd come back to drop in on Torchwood and visit Jack to find him and Gwen kissing softly in a corner, happily together as if nothing ever happened.

* * *

The Doctor slowly turned around to see Rose leant against the controls, smiling at him with tired eyes. 'What now?' She asked.

The Doctor smiled and shook his head. It was typical her – trying to keep up with his Timelord energy, why wouldn't she just admit that she was human and as a human, she needed her rest? 'You're tired, Rose, admit it.'

'I'm fine!' She exclaimed indignantly, fiddling with a lever next to her. 'C'mon, where are we going now?'

The Doctor sighed and moved over to stand in front of her as he reached out to intertwine his fingers with hers. 'Rose,' he said seriously, 'go get some rest for a few hours, then we'll go somewhere, ok?'

Rose sighed in defeat and pouted slightly. 'Fine.' She conceded, slipping out from beside the controls. 'See you in a bit.'

The Doctor nodded and smiled at her. 'Love you.' He told her, the phrase sounding familiar now after six months.

Rose smiled back, her tongue poking through her teeth in the way he found irresistibly adorable. 'Love you too.' She replied, turning her back on him and leaving the control room.

* * *

Ten minutes later and The Doctor couldn't see anything better to do than to go to bed himself, he could perhaps do with the rest too. He locked the TARDIS controls (he could never be too careful) and left the control room. He found the door to his room quickly and turned the door handle, opening it and flicking the light on casually as he did so.

His eyes flickered around the room, expecting to meet nothing. But no – in spite of himself, a grin spread across his face. There, sat on the edge of his bed, was Rose – looking at him with expectant eyes. As soon as she noticed him walk in, she moistened her lips with her tongue and walked over to him.

'I thought I'd told you to get some sleep.'

Rose smiled and slipped her hands around to the back of his neck. 'I thought of something better to do.' She told him quietly, glancing at his lips.

The pit of his stomach stirred and he let himself rest his hands on her waist. 'Do you ever listen to a thing I say?' He asked with half-hearted annoyance.

'Nope!' Rose replied cheekily, pressing herself closer to him.

'I said that I thought you should go to bed, Rose.' The Doctor insisted in a low voice, but already his resolve was breaking. He knew it, and she knew it.

Rose smiled. 'And I think....' She murmured, toying with the hair at the back of his head, 'that you should come with me.'

The Doctor let out a long, slow sigh and smiled at her. 'How come you always get your way?' There was no annoyance left in his voice now as his eyes grew that darker shade that she'd come so accustomed to.

Rose giggled quietly and slipped one hand down to his chest, fiddling with the knot on his tie. 'Clever, me.'

'Don't I know it?' The Doctor agreed in a murmur before lifting her chin up with two fingers to face him. He tenderly pressed his lips to her moist ones, their mouths instantly moulding their way around each other just as they always had. And as they stumbled their way over to his bed, The Doctor's hand at the small of her back, you could just hear him mumble, 'companions...they never bloody listen.'

Rose and The Doctor had learnt their lesson – Forever isn't short at all, forever is just....well, forever.

* * *

**Short, I know, but that's the point of an epilogue. I hope you liked it and I just want to thank you all for reading and reviewing this story, I've really enjoyed writing it! X =D**


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